Four Malian soldiers have been killed with one seriously injured today following an explosive device that blew up as their vehicle drove by in the center of the country.

The disclosure which was made to newsmen from a military source said the explosion occurred in the Koro region, near Mali’s border with Burkina Faso, and it comes just days after a military putsch against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Meanwhile, a member of the delegation said that West African envoys will meet ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita today when the envoys are due to meet members of the junta at 1600 GMT and will then meet Keita, who was detained by the rebel soldiers in Tuesday’s revolt along with a number of other Malian government and army officials.

Details later…