Mali's main Tuareg-led rebel alliance killed three Malian soldiers on Monday in an ambush in the west African nation's restive desert north, military sources told AFP.

The Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) attacked the troops as they slept early in the morning, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of the ancient caravan city of Timbuktu, a Malian army officer said on condition of anonymity.