Gunfire echoed across Bamako today as Malian government troops battled each other, with one side trying to oust soldiers who seized power in a coup over a month ago.

The junior officer who overthrew Mali’s democratically elected leader last month and dissolved the nation’s constitution has made a public U-turn, declaring amid enormous international pressure that he is reinstating the 1992 constitution and planning to hold elections.

Soldiers looted the presidential palace in Mali hours after saying they were taking control of the country.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in the West African nation of Mali yesterday for a one-day visit, promising to invest more in the impoverished country after signing a bilateral energy agreement.