At least 30 Malian soldiers were killed in a militant attack on an army barracks in central Mali on Sunday, with local authorities warning the death toll may rise further, according to security sources and local officials cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“Our units on the ground have confirmed 30 fatalities… our men fought to the end,” a security official in Bamako said, adding that the assault targeted the Bolkessi military camp, one of the army’s key installations in the central region.

Local sources reported that the attack was carried out by armed militants suspected of belonging to terrorist groups active in the area. The exact identity of the assailants has not yet been confirmed.

In a separate incident on Monday, another army barracks in the northern city of Timbuktu also came under attack by suspected militants described by officials as “terrorists.” Details on casualties from that attack have not yet been released.

Mali continues to grapple with escalating violence from extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS, particularly in its central and northern regions, complicating efforts by the transitional government and military to restore security and stability.