UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday warned that terrorists may be finding refuge in northern Mali and made an urgent appeal to the UN Security Council to get involved in the crisis in the west African country by issuing sanctions, dpa eported.
The developments, in which Islamists connected to the terrorist network al-Qaeda have taken over the north of the country, are "alarming" and "deeply troubling" and have brought "enormous suffering to the people of Mali," Ban told the Security Council.
"They also pose a widening threat to international peace and security," Ban said.
Ban called for targeted travel and financial sanctions against individuals and groups in Mali engaged in terrorist, religious extremist or criminal activities.