Mali's army has regained control of the key northern town of Anefis after fighting against terrorists for nearly a week, the military said Friday.

Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists and Tuareg-led separatists launched coordinated attacks in Mali last Saturday, claiming control of the northern town but failing to capture a military camp there.

Paramilitaries from Russia's Africa Corps and a contingent of Malian soldiers remained entrenched in the camp, which they continued to defend.

Reinforcements arrived Thursday evening and retook Anefis, which is located about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the city of Kidal that is held by terrorists.

"I can tell you that Malian troops and the Africa Corps partners broke through the obstacles and arrived in Anefis to reinforce our troops who were on the ground", a Mali military source told AFP.

Air support

A convoy of dozens of vehicles, backed by air support, set out from the major city of Gao, reaching Anefis despite terrorist attacks along the way.

"Air-ground operations made it possible to secure the route and the convoy's entry into the town, despite several skirmishes and ambushes carried out by armed terrorist groups," Mali's armed forces said in a statement, claiming to have neutralized "nearly a hundred" fighters.

In late April, Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group and Tuareg-led separatists launched a major offensive in which they captured Kidal, a strategic northern town, and killed the West African country's defence minister.