Government officials say 27 people are dead following an insurgent attack on an army base in northern Mali.

The Defense Ministry says armed insurgents battled soldiers in the far northern desert town of Abeibara for about eight hours Wednesday before being pushed back. The ministry says 27 people killed _ 10 of them soldiers.

Ethnic Tuareg rebels active in the area have claimed responsibility for the attack. But they say only one of their fighters died in the skirmish. Rebels also say they’ve taken some 60 soldiers hostages.