Two peacekeepers of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) were killed and four others wounded when their vehicle hit a homemade mine during a search and detection patrol in the northeastern town of Tessalit, the UN mission said Monday on its Twitter account, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
"Our heartfelt thoughts go out to our peacekeepers: two dead and four injured in Tessalit, following the explosion of a mine. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are one of the serious threats facing our colleagues. I salute again their courage and sense of duty," said the tweet signed by the head of MINUSMA, El-Ghassim Wane.
Through its resolution 2640 (2022) of June 29, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of MINUSMA until June 30, 2023.
Since 2012, Mali has been dealing with independence insurgencies, jihadist incursions and inter-communal violence that have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.