The Ministry of Defense reported that as a result of the clash in Acharane, more than 30 kilometers southwest of the town, known for its historic monuments, the number of casualties is not known yet.

For weeks now in Timbuktu, other northern territories and central areas of the country, government troops have intensified actions against armed groups, such as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and entities affiliated to the Al-Qaeda network.

The prevailing atmosphere of insecurity is aggravated by the gradual withdrawal of the military forces of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali from this African territory at the request of the local interim authorities, analysts say.

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