Three policemen were killed by suspected militants in an overnight attack in central Mali near the town of Mopti.

Three policemen were killed by suspected militants in an overnight attack in central Mali near the town of Mopti, police and military sources said Wednesday.

Shortly before news of the attack, in a televised speech to mark the 55th anniversary of the Malian army, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had paid tribute to "some of our valiant soldiers, some of the worthy sons of our country (who) paid with their lives in this patriotic commitment", insisting that "their sacrifice is not in vain".

Confirming the attack, a local police official said the trio were ambushed about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from Mopti, once a popular tourist destination.

"They went into an area that is difficult to access," said the police source. "The terrorists set an ambush and they were caught in the ambush."

Two soldiers and a guard were killed in separate attacks in northern and central Mali on Friday.

Northern Mali fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda terrorist group in 2012.

The terrorists were largely ousted by a French-led military operation launched in January 2013, but large swathes of Mali remain lawless and prone to attacks.

In November last year, 20 people, 14 of them foreigners, were killed in an attack claimed by jihadist groups on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako.