An elaborate attack by an Al Qaeda affiliate in Mali's capital this week killed some 70 people, diplomatic and security sources said on Thursday, while the government offered no figures on casualties.

Extremists attacked a military training camp in Mali’s capital on Tuesday, the army said, as explosions were heard in the area. Within hours, the government said it was temporarily closing the airport in Bamako.

This week, an Al Qaeda affiliate conducted a lethal attack in Mali's capital, killing around 70 people. The insurgents targeted a police training academy and the airport, undermining the junta's claims of improved security.