At least 40 fuel tankers were destroyed in Mali on Sunday when terrorists, who had declared a blockade on fuel imports to the country, attacked a convoy of more than 100 vehicles, two sources said on Monday.

A truckers' union official told Reuters around 40 fuel tankers were destroyed in the incident.

A terrorist group, JNIM, claimed responsibility for the attack in the Kayes region in the west of the country.

Mali's army said in a statement it "suffered a terrorist attack" during a mission to secure people and goods on the road from Kayes to Bamako, but had reacted "vigorously."