2nd LD Writethru: UN Security Council slams deadly terrorist attack in Mali

The UN Security Council on Sunday condemned "in the strongest terms" a terrorist attack against a UN peacekeeping camp in Mali, calling upon the Malian government to conduct a swift investigation in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The members of the Security Council "condemned in the strongest terms the coordinated attacks against" a United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) camp in Kidal, Mali, earlier on Sunday, resulting in the death of two children and of one Chadian peacekeeper of MINUSMA, and many injured, said a statement issued by the 15-nation council to the press here.

Dozens of rockets and shells were fired toward the UN camp just outside the desert town early on Sunday, and at least one of them fell on a Tuareg camp, Radhia Achouri, reports said.

The attack near Kidal came just a day after an attack on a restaurant in Bamako, the capital of Mali, killed five people, including a French citizen and a Belgian security officer with the European Union delegation in Mali.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council, in their separate statements, both strongly condemned the Saturday terrorist attacks in Bamako.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the victims of "this heinous crime, " as well as to the governments and people of Mali and Chad, and to MINUSMA, the statement said, adding that the members of the Security Council paid tribute to the Chadian peacekeepers for their sacrifices and continued efforts in MINUSMA.

"The members of the Security Council called on the government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice and stressed that those responsible for the attack shall be held accountable," it said.

"The members of the Security Council underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," it said.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed," it said.

The council members reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, said the statement.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support for the special representative of the secretary-general in Mali, Mongi Hamdi, and MINUSMA to assist the Malian authorities and the Malian people in their efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to their country, it added.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to MINUSMA and French forces that support it," said the statement.

"The members of the Security Council urged all parties to refrain from any action, whether direct or conducted through proxies, that jeopardizes prospects for peace and, in this regard, reiterated their readiness to consider appropriate measures, including targeted sanctions, against those who resume hostilities and violate the ceasefire," it said.

France has more than 3,000 soldiers in West Africa as part of a counter-insurgency force against al-Qaeda-linked fighters.

Mali descended into conflict after a coup in 2012, and has faced an insurgency led by Islamist militants.

French troops intervened to halt a subsequent advance by Islamist rebels but separatist violence has flared in recent months, despite the deployment of UN forces.

MINUSMA has more than 8,000 military personnel and nearly 1,000 police. It was set up in April 2013 by the Security Council. Endite