A journalist in Mali has been badly beaten by Islamists occupying the north of the country, after reporting on the Islamists' failed plans to amputate a thief's hand.

Malick Aliou reported on a demonstration by hundreds of protesters who came to the town square in Gao Sunday to try to prevent the Islamists from carrying out the amputation.

He is a local radio reporter and also contributes stories to the Voice of America. VOA's French to Africa service says Aliou has regained consciousness but is still at the hospital in Gao.

Residents say more protesters took to the streets Sunday evening after hearing about the attack on Aliou.

Gao is controlled mainly by the Islamist group MUJAO. That group, along with several other Islamist groups, seized control of northern Mali during the chaos that followed a March coup.

Last week, in the small Malian town of Aguelhok, another armed Islamist group, Ansar Dine, publicly stoned an unmarried couple.

Mali's government has vowed to do all it can to retake the north.