UN Security Council condemns attack on peacekeepers in Mali

Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020 shows the outside view of the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The members of the Security Council called on the transitional government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. They underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.

UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Saturday condemned Friday's attack against a camp of UN peacekeepers in Aguelhok, Kidal region of Mali that left four peacekeepers from Chad dead and 19 others injured.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to Chad and to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known by its French acronym as MINUSMA. They wished a speedy and full recovery to those injured. They paid tribute to the peacekeepers who risk their lives.

The council members called on the transitional government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. They underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. They stressed that involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against MINUSMA peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to Security Council resolutions.

The council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and stressed the need for all states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

They reiterated their full support to MINUSMA and the other security presences in Mali and the Sahel region.

They expressed concern about the security situation in Mali and the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region. They urged the Malian parties to fully implement the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali without further delay.

The council members noted that the full implementation of the peace agreement and the intensification of efforts to overcome asymmetric threats can contribute to improving the security situation across Mali. They underlined that the efforts of the joint force of the five Sahel countries to counter the activities of terrorist groups and other organized criminal groups will contribute to creating a more secure environment in the region.

The members of the Security Council further stressed the importance of MINUSMA having the necessary capacities to fulfill its mandate and promote the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers, said the press statement.