Days after the West African country’s ruling military was ambushed by Islamist rebels, it has sought to hide the true extent of the carnage.

Authorities in Mali say the capital Bamako is "under control" following an early morning attack on Tuesday in which shots were fired at a gendarmerie building and a military zone near the city’s airport.

Authorities in Mali have declared the capital, Bamako, "under control" following an attack involving gunfire near a gendarmerie building and a military zone close to the city's airport. In a statement,

Attacks Tuesday in Bamako were the first of their kind in years and dealt a forceful blow to the ruling junta, experts said