Mali's military ruler fired three senior commanders in the armed forces, a cabinet meeting report showed Wednesday, with a source blaming battlefield failings in the campaign against jihadists.

Junta leader Assimi Goita replaced the deputy general chief of staff, the head of military security and the ground forces' chief of staff, the document said.

A senior officer who asked not to be named told AFP that the three were fired during an emergency defence council meeting on Tuesday "for poor results" on the battlefield.

"Their firing is linked to bad results by troops on the ground and failures of intelligence in anticipating and countering attacks," the officer said, adding that some of the three would be prosecuted.

Since 2012 Mali has been locked in a security crisis fuelled by violen

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