1 jihadi dead in attacks, clashes with army in central Mali

An Islamic extremist group says at least one of its fighters has been killed in clashes with Mali's army in the West African country.
The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadists' activity online, said today that the extremist group Ansar Dine had reported on its Twitter account that its fighters had engaged in two battles with the Malian army since yesterday.
Ansar Dine says its Macina Liberation Front battalion, with a stronghold in the Mopti region, ambushed Malian soldiers between Teninkou and Shari villages yesterday.
It said one fighter was killed after four hours of fighting with a convoy of soldiers today. It said several Malian soldiers had been killed and wounded.

The al-Qaida-linked group also claimed responsibility for an explosion in Kidal near the United Nations mission camp.
The UN reported yesterday that no one died in that attack, but equipment was damaged.