At least nine killed in triple suicide bombing in central Mali

At least nine civilians were killed and over 60 injured in a triple suicide bomb attack in the central Mali town of Sevare early on Saturday, Yacouba Maiga, a spokesman for the regional governor, told Reuters.

"The blast destroyed about 20 houses in the neighbourhood. There are a total of nine dead and about 60 wounded, all civilians," Maiga told Reuters by phone.

Earlier on Saturday, the West African country's government said in a statement read on national television that "a terrorist attack" had been stopped by the army in Savare.

"Three vehicles filled with explosives were destroyed by army drone fire," the statement said, without giving further details on casualties.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Images shared on social media showed several buildings, including a petrol station, destroyed by the blast, as well as injured people being given assistance. Reuters could not independently verify the images.