Mali's military reported deadly clashes on Tuesday with northern Tuareg rebels, who said they briefly seized control of a military camp in the town of Bourem.
An alliance called the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) has been fighting the army since August, triggered in part by the departure of a United Nations peacekeeping mission which for years had helped broker a fragile calm.
But clashes appear to be intensifying as both sides seek to control territory in areas recently vacated by the U.N. Bourem is just 90 km (55 miles) north of the strategic city of Gao.
The general staff of the Malian armed forces said 10 combatants on its side were killed on Tuesday repelling an attack near Bourem and said 46 enemy fighters had been killed during the operation.