8 bus passengers killed following explosion in central Mali

Eight bus passengers have been killed following an explosion in central Mali, according to media reports The explosion occured when a makeshift bomb exploded under the passenger bus traveling in the violence-plagued central region of Mopti

The vehicle hit the landmine while carrying 60 passengers through the Douentza territory in Mopti, where ethnic militias regularly slaughter civilians from rival groups and Islamist militants are also active.

The remote border region where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger meet has become a haven for jihadist militants, who often launch deadly attacks on the U.N., Malian and international troops. Improvised explosive devices (IED) have been commonly used.

A person at the scene told Reuters his sister and nephew had been on board the vehicle and were killed in the explosion.

"The army is trying to recover bodies from under the bus," he said, speaking by telephone on condition of anonymity.

Yesterday, 15 people were reportedly killed when a three-story building under construction collapsed in the Mali capital Bamako.

Twenty-six people were rescued alive from the partially occupied building after it collapsed just before dawn on Sunday.