In Bamako, armed men kidnapped Mali's former Minister of Education, Mountaga Tall. The politician leads an opposition party and is a critic of the country's current military authorities.
The Russian Africa Corps and the Malian army retreated following attacks by separatists. The rebels announced the complete liberation of the city and their control over it.
Armed groups carried out coordinated attacks in several regions of Mali, including the capital Bamako. Fighting continues, explosions and gunfire are heard near key facilities.
Mali's authorities have suspended schooling for two weeks due to a severe fuel shortage caused by a rebel blockade. The country has signed an agreement with Russia for the supply of 160-200 thousand tons of oil and agricultural products.
An Air Senegal Boeing 737-300 airplane rolls off the runway in Senegal, injuring at least 10 people, four of them seriously, on a flight to Bamako, Mali.
