The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned the military coup in Mali, calling for the democratically elected government to be restored.

The 15-nation body demanded the "immediate restoration of constitutional rule" and called on the rebels "to ensure the safety and security of President Amadou Toumani Toure and to return to their barracks."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the coup's leaders to "refrain from any actions that could increase violence and further destabilize the country."

African Union Commission chief Jean Ping urged "the mutineers immediately to put an end to their action."

"This rebellion has no justification whatsoever, more so given the existence, in Mali, of democratic institutions which provide a framework for free expression and for addressing any legitimate claims," Ping said.

Ping added that the act of rebellion "seriously undermines constitutional legality" in Mali.

Referring to the event as an "apparent coup d'etat," European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called for "the re-establishment of the constitutional order and the holding of democratic elections as soon as possible."

Referring also to another revolt in the north of the country by nomadic Tuareg rebels, she urged "all parties to show responsibility to ensure respect for human life, fundamental freedoms and the integrity of the country."

Aid cut

Denunciation of the coup also came from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, while former colonial ruler France said it had suspended all cooperation with the country, condemning "with the greatest firmness the toppling of the constitutional order."

The United States, meanwhile, said it was weighing the future of $137 million (104 million euros) in aid it gives to Mali each year.

The World Bank and the African Development Bank said they would suspend all development aid to Mali with the exception of emergency assistance.

Chaos and confusion

The Tuareg have said they planned to use the soldiers' coup to their advantage by making new advances in their own quest for an autonomous northern homeland.

"The situation [in the capital, Bamako] will allow us to take advantage of the chaos to gain more ground," Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Paris-based spokesman for the Tuareg rebels, told news agency Reuters by telephone.

Asked when they would seek to advance on key northern towns such as Kidal, Timbuktu and Gao, he said: "I don't think it will be long. We are preparing this."

Mali's coup leaders, meanwhile, announced Thursday they had ordered the country's borders closed "until further notice." All flights in and out of Mali had been canceled, a source at the country's main airport said.

The coup against President Toure appears to have developed from the rebellious soldiers' discontent over the handling of the Tuareg rebellion. Soldiers had been demanding better weapons with which to fight the nomads for weeks. The rebellion in the north of the country has claimed the lives of scores of government troops.

Toure was said to be holed up at a military camp in Bamako under guard by loyalist soldiers.

Rebel soldiers were reportedly in control of Bamako as well as the presidential palace, and were said to be holding the Malian foreign minister, Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga.

slk, dfm/pfd (Reuters, AFP)