The government of Mali has denied allegations that a French air strike killed guests attending a wedding last Sunday.

The country’s defense ministry said a joint operation with French forces had killed only Islamist militants.

The French military has also denied causing civilian casualties, despite witnesses saying that up to 20 wedding guests were killed in the air strike.

Medical charity, Médecins Sans Frontières or Doctors Without Borders, said armed men targeted an ambulance which was transferring several of the victims to hospital on Tuesday.

It said one of them, a man in his sixties, had died after being tied up and assaulted.

In a strike targeted at two villages in Central Mali Sunday; Paris claimed to have annihilated militants. French armed forces staff spoke of bombing a jihadist group by a fighter plane.

France confirmed that the bombing came after precise and verified intelligence, rejecting accusations of slaying wedding guests.