BAMAKO, Mali — At least 53 soldiers and one civilian have been killed in a jihadist attack on a military post in northern Mali on Friday, the government said on Saturday.

In a post on Twitter, the army described it as a “terrorist attack.” On Saturday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the assault on the army post in Indelimane, in the Menaka region, according to the group’s Amaq news agency.

The attack was one of the deadliest strikes against the West African country’s military in recent memory. The violence is expected to further raise tensions in the capital, Bamako, where military families have already protested in the streets.

Relatives say that soldiers have not been adequately protected on the ground as they face an array of jihadist groups.