At least 10 soldiers were killed Monday in a "terrorist" attack on their camp in northern Mali’s Timbuktu region, military sources said.

At least 10 soldiers were killed Monday in a "terrorist" attack on their camp in northern Mali's Timbuktu region, military sources said.

"This morning at Gourma-Rharous we pushed back a terrorist attack which caused 10 deaths in our ranks," the source said.

Another military source confirmed the ambush, saying it had targeted a unit of the National Guard based in Gourma-Rharous and left around 10 men dead.

The second source said the attackers were believed to be "jihadist elements" linked to extremist group Ansar Dine.

The attack comes two days after two Malian soldiers were killed and four others injured in an ambush in the centre of the west African country.