Mali’s government says rebels have targeted multiple towns in the country’s north, including Gao and Sévaré, according to a statement from the Malian army.

The announcement came alongside remarks from Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). He said on Facebook that the separatists are directing their efforts at the town of Anefis.

The report did not include any immediate information on casualties.

Mali has faced overlapping insurgencies involving militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north that has been ongoing for years. The separatists have sought to create an independent state in northern Mali. The article also notes that Mali, along with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has seen security worsen after the coups in those countries and the subsequent shift toward Russian support against militant groups.