Government forces and French troops in Mali have retaken the town of Hombori from rebels who have control the north of the country.
Hombori lies about 160km from the rebel town of Gao.
Earlier, French warplanes bombed rebel positions and ammunition dumps near Gao. Two bases with fuel stocks and weapon dumps were reported to be destroyed.
But rebels have reportedly blown up a bridge linking the east of the country with Niger. The BBC reports that forces from Niger and Chad had expected to use this route to join an advance against the rebels.
French and Malian troops also staged joint patrols for the first time, in the town of Douentza west of Gao. France now has about 2000 troops in Mali, since entering the conflict on 11 January.
