Military airplane crashes at airport in northern Mali

A military airplane crashed while landing at the airport in the northern Mali city of Gao on Tuesday, two witnesses said.

"It's a Malian military airplane. Access to the airport is prohibited," said a source at the airport, who asked to remain unnamed.

Casualties were not yet known. Authorities could not be reached for comment.

Gao is home to one of the main military bases in northern Mali from which troops are battling an Islamist insurgency with the help of hired Russian fighters.