UNITED NATIONS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The members of the UN Security Council on Friday condemned "in the strongest terms" the attack on the UN mission in Mali, which left one peacekeeper killed.
The attack was perpetrated against the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) Friday near Ber, in the region of Timbuktu, following which one peacekeeper from Burkina Faso was killed and seven others were injured, the 15-member council said in a press statement.
The council members expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to Burkina Faso, and paid tribute to all peacekeepers who risk their lives.
They called on the transitional government of Mali to swiftly investigate the attack with the support of MINUSMA and promote accountability by bringing the perpetrators to justice, and underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.
The council members stressed that involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against MINUSMA peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to Security Council resolutions.
They reiterated their full support to MINUSMA and the other security presences in the Sahel region, and emphasized their determination to continue to support the peace and reconciliation process in Mali.
The peacekeepers targeted in Mali were part of a security patrol, and the attack involved an improvised explosive device, then followed by direct fire, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a daily press briefing.
"This tragic loss is a stark reminder of the risks that peacekeepers in Mali and other places around the world face while tirelessly working to bring stability and peace to the people of Mali," he said. ■
