Secretary-General Condemns Deadly Attack on Peacekeeping Convoy in Mali, Calling for Swift Action to Prosecute Perpetrators

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

The Secretary-General condemns the deadly complex attack that took place today, and which killed five peacekeepers and injured three others from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

According to preliminary information, a MINUSMA convoy hit an improvised explosive device and then came under fire by an unknown group of armed assailants approximately 15 kilometres north of Aguelhok, Kidal region.  Five Chadian peacekeepers were killed and three others injured during the attack.

Since the beginning of the year, a dozen attacks against the United Nations have been registered in Kidal region, resulting in the death of at least 12 United Nations personnel, including today’s victims.

The Secretary-General presents his sincere condolences to the families of the five peacekeepers who have died in the cause of peace and to the Government and people of Chad, and wishes a prompt recovery to those injured.  He calls for swift action to bring the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice and recalls that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers constitute war crimes under international law.

The Secretary-General reiterates that the United Nations will continue to support the stabilization of Mali and the implementation of the peace agreement and expresses his full support to the Malian authorities in their efforts to address violence and insecurity in the country.