Nine soldiers have been killed in an ambush in the centre of Mali as they advancing on their way to the site of a massacre of villagers, an army official said.

The latest attack took place at the entrance to Gouari, where armed men entered and killed about 30 civilians the day before.

A military unit was immediatley dispatched to the site to help bury the 31 bodies, army spokesman Colonel Diarran Kone told AFP news agency.

On July 2 the army received information about a new attack and sent the unit to Gouari, the offical explained.

“When it arrived at around 8pm, the village seemed deserted, there were practically no signs of life,” he continuedr. “Just at the entrance, the FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) walked into an ambush,” he said, without naming who might be behind the attack.

“We regret that nine died and two were injured, and equipment was also destroyed.”