Armed men attacked an army camp in Mali's north, killing at least 25 soldiers, the army said Tuesday.

"Yesterday, our camp in the town of Bamba in the Gao region was attacked" and six others were wounded, said army spokesman Col. Maj. Diarran Kone.

The army was in control of Bamba as of Tuesday, he added.

The attack has not been claimed but bore the mark of armed groups linked to al-Qaida or the Islamic State group that are present in the Gao region.

This is the second major attack since the beginning of the year against army positions in the Gao region. More than 30 soldiers were killed near the end of March in an attack on the village of Tarkint.

The attacks come at a time when the government has announced its intention to open dialogue with armed groups linked to al-Qaida.