Suspected terrorists attack airport and set fire to plane in Mali

Suspected terrorists attacked an airport and set fire to a plane in Mali early Tuesday morning.

The alleged insurgents took over part of the Modibo Keita International Airport in the capital Bamako, destroying equipment, infrastructure, and an aircraft on September 17.

Video shows an individual in army fatigues setting fire to the engine of an aircraft on the tarmac. Another clip shows smoke wafting from an airport hangar.

Officials said a three-hour gunfight also erupted near the Faladie Gendarmerie School at the same time.

The Mali army said in a statement: 'Early this morning, a group of terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Faladie gendarmerie school. Mopping-up operations are currently under way.'

In a later update, army chief General Oumar Diarra said the infiltrating fighters had been 'neutralised'.

The attacks reportedly killed several military personnel, but authorities have not clarified the number of injuries or casualties.

Access to the Modibo Keita International Airport was temporarily restricted.

Jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Mali and other West African countries have been battling an Islamist insurgency spreading from its northern region since 2012. The extremist groups, including those with links to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, have been exploiting Mali's political instability, weak governance, and ethnic divisions to contest territorial control.