An army air strike at a market in Mali's northern Timbuktu region on Sunday killed at least 18 people and injured seven, a local rights group said, while the army said it was targeting terrorists.
The Collective for the Defence of the Rights of the Azawad People, which is linked to separatist Tuareg rebels, said Malian armed forces bombed a weekly market 50 km (30 miles) north of the city of Lerneb.
Mali's army said on Monday it had launched air strikes against what it called terrorist activity in the same area cited by the rights group.
The incident has sparked concerns over the rising violence in the region, where the army has been battling jihadist groups and separatist rebels.
The air strike is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the region, which has been plagued by insecurity and instability.
The local rights group has called for an investigation into the incident, citing concerns over the army's actions and the impact on civilians.
The United Nations has also expressed concern over the incident, calling for restraint and urging all parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law.
The situation in Mali remains volatile, with the army struggling to contain the threat from jihadist groups and separatist rebels.
The international community has been working to support the Malian government in its efforts to restore stability and security to the region.
However, the latest incident has raised questions over the effectiveness of the army's strategy and the need for a more nuanced approach to addressing the complex security challenges in the region.
The incident has also highlighted the need for greater protection for civilians, who are often caught in the crossfire between the army and militant groups.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Malian government and the international community will respond to the latest incident and work to address the underlying security challenges in the region.