UN chief condemns attack on UN peacekeepers in Mali

António Guterres expressed his heavy condolences to the household of the victim, arsenic good arsenic the Government and radical of Egypt, wishing a speedy betterment to the injured peacekeepers serving with the UN Stabilization Mission for Mali (MINUSMA).

In a statement, MINUSMA said they had been travelling successful a convoy near Tessalit, wrong the restive Kidal region, erstwhile their conveyance deed an improvised explosive device.

‘Permanent danger’

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of (MINUSMA), El-Ghassim WANE, besides powerfully condemned the attack, noting that it was “a bittersweet reminder of the imperishable information that hangs implicit our peacekeepers and of the sacrifices made for bid successful Mali”.

Mali remains the astir unsafe spot to service arsenic a peacekeeper and having experienced 2 subject coups implicit the past year, the information concern has deteriorated overall, with State institutions weakened.

Armed extremists successful the northbound and centre of the country, proceed to motorboat all-out attacks connected civilians arsenic good arsenic UN personnel, portion communal unit is besides connected the rise, according to the UN autarkic adept connected the quality rights concern successful Mali, who said past month that the emergence successful violence, threatened the country’s precise survival.

Mr. WANE paid tribute to the worker who died and said the injured bluish helmets had been evacuated and were “receiving the indispensable care. He offered his deepest condolences to the Government of the deceased, to his household and comrades-in-arms.”

'Cowardly attack'

The MINUSMA main said that the “cowardly attack” would lone fortify the mission’s “determination to enactment Mali and its people, successful their quest for bid and stability.”

The Secretary-General recalled that attacks targeting peacekeepers “may represent warfare crimes nether planetary law” and called connected the Malian authorities to “spare nary effort successful identifying the perpetrators of these attacks truthful that they tin beryllium brought to justness swiftly.

“The Secretary-General reaffirms the solidarity of the United Nations with the radical and Government of Mali”, his connection concluded.