At least 14 people have been killed when an explosion hit a bus carrying passengers in Mali's Mopti region, according to the security minister. Salif Traore said 24 people were also wounded in Tuesday's blast, with seven being "in a critical state".
He did not provide further details.
Bus operator Sonef said the vehicle was travelling from the central town of Douentza to the northern town of Gao, carrying 60 passengers.
A person at the scene told Reuters news agency that his sister and nephew were killed in the explosion, which is believed to have been caused by a landmine. A Malian military unit, which had coincidentally been on the same road, was able to assist the passengers, a police source told AFP news agency. Sonef said it had sent a second bus to pick them up.
The United Nations stabilisation force in Mali, MINUSMA, condemned the attack - which it said had caused "many deaths and 30 injuries" - adding that some of the wounded had been evacuated by helicopter.
"The army is trying to recover bodies from under the bus," he said, speaking by telephone on condition of anonymity.
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