Video: Scare As Gun-Toting Men Storm Airport, Sets Presidential Jet On Fire

• A presidential jet was set on fire following an attack by gun-toting men at Mali's international airport
• The incident occurred during a major assault on Bamako, Mali's capital, and was followed by retaliatory street attacks by vigilantes
• Several military officers were killed in the attack, and dozens more were hospitalised after sustaining injuries

Bamako: A video has surfaced showing armed men storming Mali's Modibo Keita International Airport and setting a presidential jet on fire.

This occurred on Tuesday, September 17, during a major assault on Bamako, Mali's capital, followed by retaliatory attacks by vigilantes on the streets.

Who are the gun-toting men in Mali?

According to Al-Jazeera, the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) has claimed responsibility for the armed assault on the airport and a military training school.

Mali's government, however, stated that the attackers had been defeated and that the situation was now under control.

"This morning, there was a complex infiltration attempt at the gendarmerie school here. Since the first shot was fired, forces have been deployed, and the situation is now under control," General Oumar Diarra, the Military chief of staff, said.

The BBC also reported that several Malian military officers were killed in the attack, and dozens more were rushed to the hospital with injuries.

Modibo Keita International Airport in Bamako was closed following the attack.

Plane preparing to take off strikes jet on runway

In a separate incident, a Delta Air Lines plane and an Endeavor Air Flight 5526 jet, both preparing for takeoff, collided at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, USA.

The plane, en route to Tokyo, was taxiing when its wingtip struck the tail of the jet bound for Louisiana, causing the jet's tail to break off.

There were no casualties from the incident.

The Delta Air Lines plane had 222 passengers on board, while the other plane was carrying journalists heading to cover a hurricane at the time of the incident.

Passengers reported hearing a loud impact and felt like the aircraft was experiencing a violent jolt.

Aviation experts say the incident was less severe than it could have been because both aircraft moved at low speed.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke