Malian army has not regained control of key town

The Malian army has not regained control of the central town of Konna, which it had previously claimed to control after French airstrikes drove out Islamist rebels, France's Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday.

"At this moment, Konna not been retaken by Malian forces," he told a press conference, contradicting claims made by the Malians on Saturday that they had taken "total control" of the town.

Konna's capture by Islamist forces last week triggered French military intervention in its former colony, and the first airstrikes of a campaign that started on Friday were on the town.

The Malian army announced on Saturday evening that they had taken the town and that up to 100 Islamist fighters had been killed in the battle over it.