At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured when two passenger buses collided with a truck in Mali, the government said.

The accident occurred Tuesday morning between Fana and Konobougou cities in the country's south, said Mama Djenepo, the secretary general for Mali's ministry of transport.

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"The accident involved two passenger coaches bound for Mopti, which collided with a 10-ton truck carrying livestock traveling in the opposite direction," he said, adding that the cause is believed to be speeding by tired drivers.

While traffic accidents are common in Mali, especially during the rainy season, this is the worst in the West African nation this year, the government said. More than 680 people were killed last year in road accidents and some 8,200 were injured.