ADDIS ABABA, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Thursday condemned the assassination of Mali's Defense Minister Sadio Camara following a recent coordinated terrorist attack that targeted different parts of the country.
The AU's Peace and Security Council, in a statement issued Thursday following the council's recent meeting on the security situation in Mali, expressed deep concern over the widespread coordinated attacks, systematic killings, and displacements of the Malian population by terrorist groups in the West African country.
Expressing its concern over the "fast-deteriorating security situation" in Mali and the entire Sahel region, the council emphasized the importance of a "whole of society and whole of region approach" in responding to the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism within the framework of collective security.
The continental bloc said that all efforts to address the current crisis "must be comprehensive, multidimensional, and must fully respect Mali's national sovereignty," while supporting the restoration of stability and state authority throughout the country's territory.
The council urged the country's transitional authorities to expedite the restoration of constitutional order to create conducive conditions for durable peace and stability, toward alleviating the suffering of the Malian people.
The council further highlighted the need for urgent mobilization of a coordinated humanitarian response to address the needs of internally displaced persons and vulnerable communities, as well as to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations in the country.
The Malian transitional government announced on Sunday that Camara died following Saturday's coordinated terrorist attacks, which targeted his residence with a vehicle bomb driven by a suicide attacker. ■