GAO, Mali

Nine people were killed in clashes between Fulani and Bambara, two rival communities in central Mali, local sources told Anadolu Agency late Thursday.

"Everything started when elements of the Bambara tried to steal cattle from the Fulani living in Tandia, in the northern part of Segou [central Mali], " Bakaye Cisse, head of the National Alliance for the Protection of Fulani Identity and Restoration of Justice (ANSIPRJ) .

He added that the clashes left eight Bambara and one Fulani dead and seven Bambara injured.

Another local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Anadolu Agency that "many people died" without providing further details.

Tensions between the two communities are common in Mali, but the violence had escalated due to recent terrorist threats in Mali as several militant groups, such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), are known to still operate in Mali.

In May, more than 30 people were killed in clashes between the two communities in Mali’s central Mopti region.