UN mission in Mali condemns attack on Timbuktu Base

The UN mission in Mali on Tuesday condemned the attack on Timbuktu UN Base and called for implementation of the peace deal, a UN spokesman said.

"The UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reports that its camp in Timbuktu was targeted in a mortar attack Monday," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the daily news briefing. He said four peacekeepers and three members of the Malian armed forces were injured.

Eight shells were reportedly fired in the direction of the airport, close to the UN camp, said Dujarric.

The UN Mission condemned this attack and denounced the increasing violence in several regions in Northern Mali, he said.

The Mission also called on all signatories of the peace agreement to increase their efforts towards the implementation of the agreement, which was the only way to achieve stability in the country, said Dujarric.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, was continuing his visit to Mali, according to the spokesman.

Earlier on Tuesday, he was in Timbuktu with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mahamat S. Annadif. They visited the Liberian contingent at the site of the attack on May 3 in which one peacekeeper was killed and nine others were wounded.

Lacroix conveyed his solidarity when he met with civilian and uniformed staff members and thanked them for their dedication and sacrifices in difficult conditions, the spokesman said. Endit