Malian Troops Kill jihadists Near Ivory Coast Border

Malian troops killed several jihadists near the country's southern border with Ivory Coast and destroyed the insurgents' camp in a forest straddling the frontier, several Malian military officials said on Thursday.

The deputy chief of staff of the Malian army, General Didier Dakouo, told state television channel ORTM that troops had carried out an offensive in the Sikasso region "to combat terrorism".

"We conducted two offensives in the terrorists' sanctuary," he said late on Thursday night.

"We managed to get hold of a number of materials, including motorcycles, weapons and other explosives. Some terrorists were neutralised," he added.

Since last week, Malian army parachutists known as the Red Berets and regular troops stationed in the frontier region of Sikasso have been conducting operations against the insurgents, a Malian army officer told AFP earlier.