The latest attack, on a military post in the village of Mahou in Mali's Sikasso region, began in the morning, a local elected official and witness told AFP, before being brought under control.

The number of victims was not immediately clear, although multiple sources confirmed there had been deaths.

Mali's armed forces reported that ground and air reinforcements were called in and a Sikasso security source and resident said the attack had been brought to a halt.

"It was terrifying to see such a large number of attackers. They were on dozens of motorcycles", the resident told AFP, with another witness reporting that there had been more than 50 assailants.

The violence comes days after an attack on an army base and airport in the ancient city of Timbuktu in which more than a dozen assailants were "neutralised", according to the army's general staff.

One day prior, at least 30 soldiers were killed when the Boulkessi army base in central Mali, near the border with Burkina Faso, came under assault in an attack blamed on jihadists.

Soldiers on the ground in Mahou worked to "repel this attack and maintain the location's security", the Sikasso security source told AFP. "The situation is under control," the person said.

Since 2012 Mali has faced attacks from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group as well as separatist movements and criminal gangs.