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by IANS |
Bamako, Oct 3 (IANS) A UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) peacekeeper was killed and three were seriously injured following the explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) in the West African country, an official said.
The head of the UN mission, El-Ghassim Wane, announced on Saturday on his Twitter account that it was a MINUSMA vehicle that hit the IED near Tessalit of Kidal region, reports Xinhua news agency.
"The death toll is one and three serious injuries ... This reminds us of the ongoing danger to our peacekeepers and the sacrifices made for peace in Mali," Wane tweeted.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the incident and urging the Malian authorities to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of these attacks so that they can be brought to justice swiftly.
He added that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.
In recent weeks, the UN mission has been the target of several attacks in northern Mali.
On September 11, three MINUSMA peacekeepers were injured by an explosive device near its camp in Kidal.
Since 2012, Mali has been facing a profound multifaceted crisis at the security, political and economic levels.
The separatist insurgencies, then the jihadist incursions as well as the inter-communal violence left thousands of people dead and hundreds of thousands of others displaced despite the presence of the UN, African and European forces.
