UN chief deeply concerned by reports of attacks in Mali: Spokesperson

United Nations, April 26 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply concerned by reports of attacks across Mali and strongly condemned the acts of violence, his spokesperson said Saturday.

The UN chief expresses solidarity with the Malian people, stressing the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General calls for coordinated international support to address the evolving threat of violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and to meet urgent humanitarian needs. He reiterates his call for robust security coordination and collaboration across the region," said the statement.

Mali's transitional government said Saturday evening that armed terrorist groups launched coordinated attacks earlier in the day on several cities in the country, leaving 16 people wounded, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attacks had been brought under control by Malian defense and security forces, with several terrorists killed and the attackers' plans foiled, it added.

The attacks targeted several locations, including the garrison towns of Kati, Sevare, Gao and Kidal, as well as the capital Bamako, the government said in a statement.

The wounded, including civilians and military personnel, have been taken to medical facilities, while material damage has been limited, it said.

The attacks had been brought under control by Malian defense and security forces, with several terrorists killed and the attackers' plans foiled, it added.

It also called on the population to remain vigilant and calm, report any suspicious activity, and rely exclusively on official government channels for information.

Separately, the Bamako District governorate imposed a 72-hour curfew across the capital, in effect from 9 p.m. (2100 GMT) to 6 a.m. (0600 GMT) local time, which may be renewed if necessary.

Earlier in the day, the General Staff of the Malian Armed Forces said a large-scale sweep operation was underway in Bamako, Kati and other affected localities, adding that several hundred terrorists had been killed.