Suspected jihadists abducted dozens of civilians after holding up a bus in the centre of jihadist-rocked Mali, an eyewitness and local sources told journalists on Thursday.

Tuesday’s attack saw a bus bound for the capital Bamako from the central town of Bankass “intercepted by a group of jihadists”, said local Bankass leader Abdalah Togo in a statement.

A man passing by on the road told AFP he saw “five motorcycles and six people” by the bus at the time of the hold-up.

“Other attackers were already on the bus checking the passengers,” the eyewitness added. “They were carrying weapons and wearing turbans.”

The attack resulted in “several dozen people abducted by suspected jihadists”, a security source said on Thursday.

“The kidnapped people are civilians,” the source added.