Dozens of civilians were killed in a terrorist attack by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) group near Kobe in northern Mali on Friday, media reported.

As reported by Xinhua, more than 200 ISGS militants attacked a civilian convoy escorted by Malian troops, killing between 45 and 60 people and injuring dozens. The victims and their bodies were taken to a hospital in a nearby town.

The convoy that was attacked by terrorists consisted of 22 minibuses, six large buses and eight trucks. Several of them were looted and set on fire.

The Malian authorities have not yet officially commented on the attack.

Since 2012, Mali has been in deep crisis caused by separatist rebellions, jihadist incursions and intercommunal violence. Thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes.