Dioncounda Traore, former president of the National Assembly, was on Thursday sworn in as Mali's transition president.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the International Conference Center in Bamako, the capital of Mali, with the participation of the coup leader Captain Amadou Sanogo, who overthrew the regime of Amadou Toumani Toure on March 22.

Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Djibril Bassole, the mediator in the Malian crisis for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also was present at the ceremony.

Immediately after being sworn in, the transition president admitted that Tessalit, Kidal, Gao and Timbuktoo were under occupation and that the country has been cut into two.

"I ask AQIM, the MNLA and other assailants to leave here now and all territory occupied in peace... Otherwise we will conduct war in the sand, hills, in the air and in water to liberate our territory," said Dioncounda Traore at the ceremony.

He promised to work with the president of the Supreme Court to ensure restoration of peace in the country and at the same time noted that the Malian people should be engaged in economic battle.

"I hope that the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and its allied Ansar Dine movement understand the message. If not, in honour of Mali, we shall wage a total war to recover our country because Mali's territorial integrity is non-negotiable, " Traore said.

The interim leader will also be in a mission to organize democratic elections, according to the agreement signed between the junta's captain Amadou Sanogo and mediators.

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