France's Defense Ministry has said the country's military forces continued aerial strikes in northern Mali, just a few hours after a visit to the country by President Francois Hollande.

French troops bombarded Islamist sites in Kidal and Tessalit in northern Mali overnight Saturday into Sunday, according to a defense official Sunday who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to be quoted by the media.

The official says "(the strikes) were targeting logistical arms and fuel depots near the Algerian border." He could not confirm that the latest attacks also targeted armed Islamist training camps.