The outpost in Bambara Maoude, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Timbuktu city, "was the object at about 0500 GMT of a terrorist attack," the military had earlier tweeted alongside an initial toll of three dead and five wounded, plus "material damage".
Communications Minister Yaya Sangare confirmed a death toll of four and tweeted that, following "intervention by the Malian airforce, backed by (French-led force) Barkhane and (UN mission) MINUSMA, the post is under (army) control".