Three Malian soldiers were killed after their vehicle hit an improvised explosive in the center of the country, APA learned from military sources on Friday.The three members of the National Guard, one of the Malian army elite corps, were killed between Koro and Mondoro, near the border with Burkina Faso, an area considered to be one of the hotbeds of violence in the Sahel.

The attack blamed on jihadists also left five other wounded, one of whom in critical condition, according to military sources.

Explosive devices are one of the weapons of choice for jihadists against the armed forces in the sub-region.

During the month of January, five peacekeepers from the UN mission in Mali (Minusma) were killed. 

Before them, five other soldiers of the French anti-jihadist force under Operation Barkhane were victims of such devices between December 28 and January 2.