The army in Mali says five soldiers have been killed and 11 others are missing after two military camps were attacked by rebels on Sunday.
In a statement the army claimed to have killed more than 30 assailants during the fighting in Léré in the Timbuktu region. It also admitted the loss of a military aircraft.
An alliance of mostly Tuareg rebel groups (CSP-PSD) said it had shot down a Malian fighter plane.
Thousands of UN peacekeepers are leaving the country as demanded by Mali’s military rulers.
Tuareg rebels and al-Qaeda linked fighters from the group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) are trying to stop the Malian army taking over the UN bases.