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1st LD Writethru: UN Security Council slams deadly attacks on blue helmets in Mali

Xinhua, November 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Security Council on Saturday condemned the attack targeting the camp of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Kidal, with two peacekeepers from Guinea and a contractor from Burkina Faso killed and others injured.

"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 should be held accountable," said the 15-nation UN body in a statement issued to the press here. "The members of the Security Council underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law."

Gunmen attacked and fired rockets at a UN peacekeeping base in Kidal in northern Mali earlier Saturday, killing the two UN peacekeepers and the civilian. Twenty other people were wounded, including four seriously injured.

Northern Mali was occupied by fighters, some with links to al-Qaeda, for most of 2012.

The Security Council "expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy" to the families of the victims, to the government of Guinea and Burkina Faso, respectively, as well as to the government of Mali, said the statement.

"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," the statement said.

The Security Council urged States to ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.

Since a military coup struck Mali in March 2012, its northern region has served as a stronghold of the rebels.

Mali is now in the process of restoring democracy with the help of the United Nations and African regional bodies, including the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Despite initial security improvements in 2013, the situation in northern Mali has deteriorated since the beginning of 2014. An increase in incidents involving improvised explosive devices, mostly targeting Malian and international security forces, has impeded the return to normalcy and resumption of economic and development activities. Endit