Malian soldiers arrive at Independence Square in Bamako. Illustration photo: AFP/TTXVN

The rebel group claimed it had inflicted heavy losses on the country's military.

However, the Malian army said it had repelled an attack on military bases in the Timbuktu region.

JNIM said on its Al-Zallaqa Foundation media platform that it had taken control of the Niafounke camp on November 24. The claim was confirmed by SITE, an American monitoring group, on November 25.

Dozens of Malian soldiers were killed or wounded in the attack and two were captured, JNIM said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Malian army confirmed that the attacks were "repulsed forcefully".

The claims cannot be verified yet as access to the fighting area is difficult and dangerous.

Since 2012, Mali has been plunged into chaos, with military clashes in particular escalating in the north of the country, after the recent withdrawal of UN forces at the request of the ruling government, leading to fierce fighting between the Malian army and Islamist extremists and separatists for control of the region.

Kidal has long been a center of unrest and a starting point for the separatist insurgencies that have rocked Mali since independence. The Malian army suffered defeats in the area from 2012 to 2014.

Meanwhile, the Supporters of Islam and Followers of Islam (GSIM), a militant group linked to the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, has also increased attacks on military positions. Many military experts fear that conflicts between armed groups and the Malian army and between armed groups will flare up in the absence of UN troops.