Off the wire
• Family of Chinese MH370 victim sue Malaysia Airlines  • China hospital heads sacked after hepatitis C outbreak  • Pakistan rescues kidnapped ex-Afghan provincial governor: media  • Foreign exchange rates in Hong Kong  • 2nd LD: Iranian leaders urge people to "actively" attend two key elections  • 1st LD-Writethru: Chinese shares swing higher Friday  • Israeli stabbed, seriously injured, in overnight stabbing attack  • Roundup: Hong Kong stocks close 2.52 pct higher  • UN ban on DPRK mineral exports to hurt foreign currency income: Seoul  • Xinhua Insight: New policy hardwires scientists for commercial success  
You are here: 　 Home

Chadian peacekeeper in Mali kills two colleagues

Xinhua, February 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Two Chadian peacekeepers in Mali were killed Thursday in a UN camp in northeast region of Kidal by a Chadian soldier due to tension in their contingent, a UN security source said.

According to the source, a "mutinous" Chadian soldier with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) shot at the commander of his contingent, killing him as well as another Chadian soldier.

Reached on phone, MINUSMA spokesman Olivier Salgado confirmed the deaths of the two Chadian soldiers.

No explanation has been given for the shooting, but the shooter was immediately arrested and investigations opened to find out his motivations, Salgado said.

The incident occurred at a time when tens of Chadian peacekeepers are said to be unhappy with their working and living conditions in northern Mali, MINUSMA security sources revealed.

Last year, a Chadian contingent under MINUSMA abandoned its positions in northern Mali to demand salary arrears.

With 1,151 soldiers and police officers out of a total of 11,700 officers, the Chadian contingent is the third largest within this particular UN mission after Burkina Faso, 1,742, and Bangladesh, 1,725.

MINUSMA was deployed to northern Mali in July 2013. Enditem