Mayor Sadou Diallo misses residents of his desert town of Gao, most of whom fled to Bamako when militants took over.

CNN: Broken limbs, torn lives in northern Mali

Gao's mayor Sadou Harouna Diallo told the BBC he was hiding inside the city hall and could hear shooting outside at about midday.

BBC: Mali: Islamist incursion in Gao 'repelled'

Gao Mayor Sadou Diallo said the Islamist fighters had launched Saturday's attack inside the city's Quatrieme Quartier, or Fourth District, and retreated when they were engaged by Malian forces.

BBC: Islamist rebels attack Mali town