Sixteen soldiers were killed and 10 wounded in an attack in central Mali on Wednesday, security and health officials in the war-torn Sahel state have revealed.

In a statement, Mali's army said the troops were targets of a "complex IED attack" -- referring to an improvised explosive device -- then came under heavy gunfire shortly before 11:30 a.m. The army blamed the attack on suspected jihadists and said that after pursuit, 15 of the assailants were killed and 20 motorcycles seized.

According to the army's initial estimate, its casualties had included nine soldiers killed and 11 wounded, in addition to three vehicles destroyed. However, a local health official suggested that the death toll had already risen to 16, based on the number of bodies deposited at a local morgue.

(With input from AFP)