A suicide bomber has attacked a checkpoint in northern Mali, killing only himself, in the first known suicide bombing since French military forces intervened in the country.

One wing of Mali’s Ansar Dine rebel group has split off to create its own movement, saying that they want to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Mali.

Malian forces have regained control of the strategic town that was under extreme Islamist rule for four months, as the French-led military intervention pushed northwards in its second week.

French troops, backed by helicopters and planes, have advanced on the key Malian town of Diabaly, seized a week ago by Islamic extremists.

Radical Islamists have fled a key Malian town on foot following French air strikes.