An African affiliate of Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's terrorist attack in Mali. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said one of its divisions carried out the attacks.

The Algeria-based Islamist militant group was once known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat. It allied to al-Qaeda in 2006 and later became a branch in North Africa.

In recent years, it has staged a series of terrorist attacks in Algeria, Mali, and Niger. It has been listed as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.