June 27 (Bloomberg) -- Mauritania’s military killed 15 al- Qaeda operatives in an attack on a camp of the terrorist organization’s North African branch in northern Mali on June 25, Colonel Brahim Vall Ould Cheibany said at a press conference in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, yesterday.

Two soldiers died and another five were wounded in the attack on the base in the Wagadou Forest 70 kilometers from the Mauritanian border, he said.

The Mauritianian army is continuing to look for al-Qaeda operatives in the area, he said, adding that the Malian army has captured 9 al-Qaeda members.

To contact the reporter on this story: Marouf Oudaa in Nouakchott at moudaa@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net