New Delhi, April 28 -- An alliance of al-Qaida-linked militants and separatists carried out the largest coordinated attack in over a decade in Mali, marking a dangerous escalation in what is widely considered one of the world's deadliest regions for extremist violence.

The weekend attack marked also a challenge for Russia, which has partnered with Mali's military-led government after it distanced itself from former allies such as France. The attack was unprecedented for its scale - both for the number of locations struck and the prominence of the targets, analysts said Monday.

Authorities have not yet released an official death toll but among those killed was Mali's defense minister who died when a car bomb targeted his home.

The near-...