BAMAKO, Sept 8 — At least 49 civilians and 15 soldiers were killed in two separate attacks by suspected jihadists in Mali.

At least 64 people were killed in Mali on Thursday in two attacks on an army base and a passenger ship on the Niger River.

The two separate attacks by suspected jihadists targeted the river ship Timbuktu and a military base in Bamba in the northern Gao region, officials said. According to preliminary information, "49 civilians and 15 soldiers were killed.”

According to the government, the attacks have been claimed by the extremist Islamist insurgent group JNIM, an umbrella coalition of armed groups aligned with al-Qaida.

This is a breaking news article which will be updated. — DW