UN condemns attack on peacekeepers in Mali

The United Nations on Wednesday "strongly condemned" an attack on a peacekeepers base in central Mali.

The temporary UN base in Kerena, near Douentza, was the target of direct and indirect fire early Wednesday morning, wounding 28 peacekeepers from Togo.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN mission had "taken all necessary measures to ensure that the injured receive prompt and appropriate treatment".

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group stage regular attacks on UN peacekeepers and soldiers.

Attacks by jihadists in northern Mali this year have also killed at least five UN peacekeepers.

The peacekeeping mission has been in Mali since 2013, after Islamic extremists took control of major towns in the north.

A French-led military operation dislodged them, but the jihadists have since regrouped in rural areas and expanded their reach.

The UN says more than 231 peacekeepers in Mali have been killed due to hostile incidents, in what has become known as its most dangerous mission.