05/30/2016
Five UN peacekeepers killed on the “International Day of the UN peacekeepers”
Massive increase of violence by Islamist extremists in Northern Mali (Press Release)
UN peacekeepers of MINUSMA hold a memorial service for soldiers killed from terrorists. In Mali terror against UN peacekeepers continues to increase. Photo: UN Photo/Marco Dormino
After five peacekeepers from Togo were killed in an attack by Islamist terrorists on Sunday – the “International Day of the UN peacekeepers” – the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) now warns about new terrorist attacks against UN peacekeepers in Mali. “It’s just a matter of time before German Bundeswehr soldiers will be directly affected by the ever-increasing violence as well,” said Ulrich Delius, the STP’s Africa-consultant, in Göttingen on Monday. “The German government must urgently get a grip on the situation and develop more political initiatives to bring peace to northern Mali.”
Security experts are deeply concerned about the fact that the wave of violence is about to reach the middle of the country. On Sunday, at around 11:30 am, a car a patrol of the UN peacekeeping force MINUSMA was stopped by a mine and then attacked by a terrorist commando about 30 kilometers away from the town Mopti. Only one of the peacekeeping soldiers survived the attack, seriously injured. Mopti is considered a hub between the south of the country and northern Mali, which has been embattled since 2012. At least 21 UN soldiers or Malian military personnel have died in attacks by Islamists since the beginning of May 2016.
Five Malian soldiers were killed in a similar attack on May 27 near the city Gao. While accompanying a fuel transport, they had hit a mine and were then taken under fire by suspected Islamist fighters. On May 22, a telephone technician was attacked and killed near the town of Timbuktu. A few hours before, extremists had attacked a replenishment base near the village of Goundam, which was guarded by Malian soldiers. One soldier got killed, four were injured. On May 11, Islamist extremists had killed the deputy commander of the Malian army in the town of Gao, captain Salif Baba Daou, and another soldier. Their car hit a mine, and they were taken under fire by a terrorist commando.
In the scope of MINUSMA, 290 Bundeswehr soldiers are stationed in Gao for three months – and 220 German soldiers are working as military trainers in southern Mali. This EUTM project is to be extended to the north of the country until mid-2016.
