The United States on Monday moved to suspend some aid to Mali, reiterating a call for the restoration of the elected government toppled last week in a coup in the West African nation.

"We have now taken the decision to suspend our assistance to the government of Mali pending a resolution of the situation on the ground," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"We want to see the elected government restored as quickly as possible," she said at a regular news briefing.

President Amadou Toumani Toure was removed from power last Thursday by some soldiers unhappy over the government's handling of the conflict in the north of the country. The coup came ahead of Mali's next presidential election slated for April 29.

The UN Security Council on Monday strongly condemned the " forcible seizure" of power from the democratically-elected government of Mali, and called for the restoration of " constitutional order."

Nuland said humanitarian and food assistance to Mali will continue but the rest of some 137 million to 140 million U.S. dollars in annual aid to the country will be suspended.

"I am expecting somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-70 million dollars in assistance will be suspended," she said.