(MENAFN- Arab News) Bamako/kidal: weekend fighting between government soldiers and tuareg rebels in the northern malian city of kidal has claimed at least 36 lives while almost as many civil servants have been taken hostage the government said on sunday.

the fighting broke out on saturday outside the regional governor's offices as mali's prime minister moussa mara was visiting kidal as part of his first tour of the country's restive northern desert.

'eight members of the armed forces were killed and 25 were wounded while 28 of the attackers were killed" the defense ministry said in a statement.

around 30 civil servants were abducted by the tuareg mnla separatists during fighting on saturday that also wounded 23 government soldiers the governor of the region said on sunday.

prime minister mara who was visiting kidal for the first time since his appointment last month is seeking to revive long-delayed peace talks with northern armed groups.

kidal 1500 km northeast of the capital bamako was the scene of anti-government protests by several hundred youths and women on friday and saturday who demonstrated at the regional airport.

mara's predecessor oumar tatam ly was forced to cancel a trip in november to kidal the stronghold of mali's tuareg separatist movement after protesters occupied a runway at the airport.