An al-Qaida group based in Africa claimed to have killed 28 Malian soldiers, a US-based group which monitors militant Web sites said on Wednesday.
According to the Washington-based SITE Intelligence Group, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb released a message late Tuesday claiming responsibility for a July 4 attack in northern Mali.
The group claimed to have captured three soldiers and to have lost one fighter.
The extremist group also said it killed 100 people in 17 attacks throughout May and early June in neighboring Mauritania. In addition, it took responsibility in June for the kidnapping and execution of British hostage Edwin Dyer in Mali.
