Army troops in Mali have retaken control of an area in the northeast of the country that had been occupied by rebel Tuareg fighters.

The spokesman for the Mali army, Colonel Abdoulaye Coulibaly, has said the military has taken control of the entire area of Tinzaouatene, a remote town near Mali's border with Algeria.

He also said the rebels have released a hostage. However, it is not clear how the area was recaptured or if there were any casualties.

The Tuareg fighters led by Ibrahim Bahanga, kidnapped dozens of soldiers and government officials during an August raid. An initial group of seven hostages was released last week in an effort, according to the rebels, to demonstrate their commitment to peace.

After a series of raids in the isolated desert-region, the government and rebels are now looking for a diplomatic end to the fighting.

Coulibaly said the army is working to remove landmines planted by the rebels in Tinzaouatene. He said the local population is paralyzed out of fear of stepping on a deadly mine.

MB/MMA