Bamba, Mali - An official from Mali has reported that suspected jihadists carried out attacks on both an army base and a passenger boat on the Niger River in northern Mali, resulting in the tragic loss of 64 lives.

These separate attacks targeted the Timbuktu boat on the Niger River and an army position at Bamba, situated in the northern Gao region. A government statement indicated a provisional toll of 49 civilians and 15 soldiers killed, though it did not specify the exact number of casualties in each assault. Notably, these assaults were "claimed" by a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

Earlier, the Malian army had shared on social media that the boat came under attack around 1100 GMT by "armed terrorist groups." The vessel, which was operating along a well-established route between cities along the river, was targeted with "at least three rockets" aimed at its engines, as reported separately by the operator Comanav. Subsequently, the vessel became immobilized on the river, and the army has been evacuating passengers, as per a Comanav official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Images circulated on social media depicted a cloud of black smoke rising above the river. It's important to note that the incident occurred in a remote area, and the authenticity of the images could not be independently verified.

The Niger River serves as a crucial transportation route in a region characterized by poor road infrastructure and the absence of railways.

This attack follows an announcement last month by an Al-Qaeda-affiliated alliance, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), that it was blockading Timbuktu, a historic city at the crossroads of northern Mali.

Mali, an economically challenged nation, has been grappling with insecurity since 2012 when a rebellion led by ethnic Tuaregs erupted in the troubled northern region.