Nine officials of the United Nations were on Monday killed in two separate attacks by unknown gunmen in Mali. According to a report by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSA), seven people were killed when gunmen attacked MINUSA headquarters in Timbuktu. The deceased include five MINUSA security guards, one member of the Mali National Police and a civilian contractor working for the UN. Also, seven persons sustained various degrees of injuries in the attack.
The report stated that MINUSA "responded immediately by deploying a rapid reaction force to secure the Mission's headquarters and attack helicopters to track down potential attackers. The operation led to the killing of six assailants."
Meanwhile, one peacekeeper and a Malian national soldier were killed in a separate attack against MINUSA in Douenza, around 130 miles, south of Timbuktu.
Although no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the UN has condemned the attack, stressing that the incident targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes in International laws.
The statement which was issued by the Secretary General, commended the "important efforts that Mali and the other countries of the Group of Five for the Sahel are devoting in combating terrorism and violent extremism and promoting peace and development in the region"
