United Nations condemns the death of two ‘blue helmets’ on Tuesday in Mali

July 6. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, has transferred this Wednesday his condemnation for the death of two ‘blue helmets’ of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) on Tuesday.

The highest representative of the United Nations has posted a message on his profile on the social network Twitter in which he confirms that the two deceased were of Egyptian origin, at the same time that he has raised the number of injured to nine, which until now had been set at five.

“My condolences to the families of the victims and to the people of Egypt, whose soldiers continue to pay the highest price in the service of peace in Mali,” the secretary general concluded.

MINUSMA explained in a statement Tuesday that a vehicle from a Mission logistics convoy had hit a mine, and warned that the attack could constitute a “war crime” under international law.

Likewise, MINUMSA expressed its “concern” about the “frequent use” of mines and explosives by terrorist groups and elements, which, they lament, “are destined to paralyze the Mission’s operations and obstruct the return to peace and stability”.

The United Nations Security Council has recently approved an extension of MINUSMA, which comes after France and its allies announced in February the withdrawal of the troops deployed in the framework of operation ‘Barkhane’ and the Takuba Force, sent to Mali to help Bamako in the fight against jihadism, in the face of tensions with the military junta in the West African country.

Tensions in the country have been increasing in recent months after the announcement by the military junta to extend the transition process and due to the alleged deployment of mercenaries from the Wagner Group, something that has been denied by Bamako and Moscow, which speak of cooperation regular military.

Mali, like other countries in the Sahel, has been registering in recent years a growing number of jihadist attacks carried out by both the Al Qaeda affiliate in the region and the Islamic State, which has also increased inter-community violence and caused the displacement of tens of thousands of people.