Mali extremist rebels attack UN peacekeeping force; one killed, several injured

United Nations Secretary-General's Spokesman Stephane Dujarric has informed that a UN peacekeeper was killed in Mali and several others were injured in a separate attack in the north of the country.

As per reports, an explosion hit the peacekeeping force vehicle in the Kidal region claiming the life of one Egyptian peacekeeper and injuring many others on Thursday, October 15. Meanwhile, a separate attack took place in Timbuktu in which gunshots were reportedly fired at the UN camp injuring one peacekeeper from Burkina Faso. 

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UN urges authorities to take action

Dujarric is reported to have said that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers would amount to "war crimes" and also urged the Mali authorities to urgently take action against the perpetrators. As per reports, the attacks which have been carried out by suspected Islamic radicals, come just days after 12 civilians and at least 11 soldiers from the Malian army lost their lives. The UN has stationed its peacekeeping mission in Mali since 2013 after Islamic extremists took control of major towns in the north. 

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Meanwhile, Mali has been through severe political upheaval in recent months. In August, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was ousted from power by a military junta. On August 18, an orchestrated coup in Mali saw President Keita and Prime Minister Cisse's arrested along with several other officials. 

As per reports, Mali’s former Defense Minister and retired Col Maj Bah N’Daw has been sworn in as the country’s transitional president while the head of the military junta Col Assimi Goita assumed the vice president's office. Elections are scheduled to take place in Mali in the next 18 months, until then the transitional government shall be in power.  

After the transitional government came to power, the African Union lifted suspensions imposed on Mali in the wake of a military coup. As per reports, the move comes into effect three days after the West African regional bloc EECOWAS lifted its strict post-coup sanctions on Mali stating that it wished the country to return to civilian rule.

According to the reports, the imposed sanctions included the shutdown of borders and a ban on commercial trade and financial flows. However, the other basic necessities such as medicines, equipment to fight coronavirus, fuel, and electricity were not hampered by the sanction.

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Inputs: PTI; Image: AP