Parly's visit follows that of French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian last week, which marked the first visit by a French politicians since young army officers toppled president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18.

"My trip is a continuation of this first very official contact between the transitional government and the French authorities," she told AFP.

"The objective is to ensure the determination of the authorities to continue the commitment of the Malian armed forces in the various operations we are conducting together," Parly added.

France has 5,100 soldiers stationed across Africa's Sahel region, including in Mali, as part of its anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane.

An Islamist insurgency has raged in Mali since 2012, killing thousands of soldiers and civilians.

Fighting has also spread into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, despite the presence of foreign troops in the country.

Mali's coup in August came after waves of anti-government protests partly fuelled by Keita's failure to end the brutal insurgency.

After intense international pressure, Mali's military junta handed over to an interim government which is meant to stage elections within 18 months.

Parly said on Monday that the fight against Sahel jihadists had not wavered since the coup. But it is important to discuss longterm plans, she added, "because we must plan new operations".

The defence minister -- who arrived from Niger, where French soldiers are also deployed -- is due to meet Mali's Interim president Bah Ndaw, the defence minister and the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country.

Her visit also comes after Mali released some 200 detainees -- some thought to be jihadists -- in exchange for four captives held by Islamist groups, including 75-year-old Sophie Petronin, the last remaining French hostage in the world.

The swap led to speculation of a fresh push to engage jihadist groups in dialogue -- an option many in Mali argue is one of the few ways to stop the bloodshed.

"We cannot dialogue with jihadist groups that have not renounced the fight against terrorism," Parly said, restating longstanding French policy.

"It is the responsibility of the Malian authorities, not ours, but it is important to talk about it," she added.