Secretary-General Condemns Deadly Attack on Convoy of Peacekeepers in Mali

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General condemns the attack today against a convoy of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), on the Goundam-Timbuktu axis in the Timbuktu region, which killed six peacekeepers and injured five others.  All the killed and injured peacekeepers are from Burkina Faso.

The Secretary-General reminds all parties that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers constitute a serious violation of international law and urges all those responsible to be brought swiftly to justice.

These attacks will not alter the determination of the United Nations to support the Malian people and the peace process, including through its assistance to the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali.

This attack brings the total number of casualties from hostile acts since the beginning of the Mission on 25 April 2013 to 42 peacekeepers killed, including 10 in 2015 alone, and 166 peacekeepers wounded.

The Secretary-General commends the brave men and women serving in MINUSMA for their efforts to bring lasting peace to Mali under such difficult conditions.

The Secretary-General expresses his sincere condolences to the family of the victims and to the Government of Burkina Faso, and he wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded.