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UN peacekeeper killed, five wounded in Mali

Monday, 07 October 2019 2:35 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 07 October 2019 2:40 PM ]

A Senegalese soldier of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) patrols in the streets of Gao on July 24, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

One peacekeeper has been killed and four others wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in strife-torn northeastern Mali, the UN mission MINUSMA says, adding that another blue helmet has been injured in a separate attack in the center of the country.

The peacekeepers were carrying out a security patrol near the town of Aguelhok when the device detonated, spokesman Olivier Salgado said on Facebook. The UN said a Chadian soldier died in the attack.

In January, 11 Chadian members of MINUSMA were killed in an attack by militants in Aguelhok.

The head of MINUSMA, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, "strongly condemned the recent increase in these kinds of attacks, especially in the center" of the country, the UN mission said.

MINUSMA has lost more than 200 peacekeepers since it was set up in 2013, according to its website.

Salgado said unidentified gunmen on Sunday targeted UN peacekeepers near the central town of Bandiagara in a separate attack.

A UN statement said a Togolese peacekeeper sustained serious injuries.

Northern Mali fell into the hands of militants in 2012 before the militants were forced out by a French-led military intervention.

But much of the region remains chronically unstable and militant-led violence has spread to the center of the country, often sparking bloodshed between ethnic groups.

(Source: AFP)

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Africa Africa Mali Mali MINUSMA MINUSMA violence violence explosion explosion bomb blast bomb blast militants militants peacekeepers peacekeepers UN UN