Britain has offered French troops more military aid to help in the operation against Mali's Islamist rebels in the former French colony, Britain's top diplomat to France said Tuesday.

"France was right to act quickly. We know the capabilities of French army, but it is not finished yet. With that aim, we want to help France with logistical support and training," Sir Peter Ricketts, British Ambassador to France, told the local broadcaster Europe1.

"After retaking main cities, the battle will be to find terrorists where they are in the desert," he said.

Britain has already provided two C-17 military transport aircraft and a Sentinel surveillance plane to Mali, according to the British diplomat.

On Sunday, British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke to French President Francois Hollande about the recent development of military operation in the west African country and hailed French troops' progress in fighting Islamists, the ambassador added.

After French-Malian forces on Monday took control of Timbuku town in the northern region of Mali which was occupied by Islamist rebels since last April, Hollande said Paris and its African partners were wining the battle against the al-Qaeda-linked insurgents.