More than 4,000 people from across Mali took to the streets in the capital Bamako on Thursday to demand the military liberate the northern part, which was taken by rebels in the aftermath of the March 22 coup.

The march was organized by the United Front for Safeguarding Democracy and the Republic (FDR), which was opposed to the coup, and the Association of Northern Mali Residents (COREN).

The organizers said the demonstration was also meant "to welcome the forces from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the international community, to come and help Mali's security forces to liberate the North."

"Yesterday just like today, we remain convinced that the use of force to resolve this crisis is still necessary. We also think that this action should be undertaken concurrently with dialogue with our fellow citizens who still respect the laws of the Republic," they declared.

"We are determined to ensure that there's no partitioning of the country, or self-determination or even cutting off a small part of our beloved nation of Mali," FDR and COREN said in a statement.

The march ended at the Peace Monument, not far away from the prime minister's office. The demonstrators presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra.