Summary:
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Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement on Friday that four more blue helmets from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) were hurt, in addition to the male and female troops who died earlier in the day in Timbuktu town.
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Likely a war crime. The statement said that international law “may make it a war crime” to attack UN peacekeepers.
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They told the parties in Mali to do this “as soon as possible” so that the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali could be carried out correctly.
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The peacekeepers’ resolve to support the peace and reconciliation process in Mali will not be affected by these “heinous crimes,” the statement said.
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The head of peace operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said Mali was one of three countries that had lost 84% of their peacekeepers since 2013. He also called attention to the four Chadian members of MINUSMA who perished on 10 October due to an IED in Tessalit, Kidal Region.
Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement on Friday that four more blue helmets from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) were hurt, in addition to the male and female troops who died earlier in the day in Timbuktu town.
Likely war crime
The statement said that international law “may make it a war crime” to attack UN peacekeepers.
The head of the UN asked the Malian government to “spare no effort” to find the people responsible for these horrible attacks and bring them to justice as soon as possible.
He sent his deepest condolences to the families of the dead, the Nigerian government, and the people of Nigeria. He also hoped that those who were hurt would get better quickly.
“The Secretary-General says again that the United Nations stands with and supports the people of Mali,” Mr. Dujarric said.
Call the interim administration
The Security Council put out a statement at the same time that condemned the attack in the “strongest possible terms” and thanked “all peacekeepers who risk their lives to keep the peace.”
With the help of MINUSMA, they asked the Transitional Government of Mali to “quickly investigate” the attack and show accountability by bringing the attackers to justice.
The ambassadors asked Mali officials to tell the countries that sent peacekeepers about what was going on. This was in line with Security Council resolutions (2518 and 2589) about the safety and security of peacekeepers and who is responsible for violence against them.
They said that putting together, supervising, paying for, or carrying out attacks on MINUSMA forces “provides a basis for punishments.”
In Menaka, a town in northeastern Mali, a member of the UN Stabilization Mission’s Search and Detect Team inspects a route.
Fighting terrorism
The statement said that it is up to the host countries to ensure that UN workers are safe and that communication between MINUSMA and Mali’s transitional government is essential.
No matter what the reason was, the Council said that terrorism is “one of the most serious threats to international peace and security” and that it is “illegal and wrong.”
They talked about how important it was for all states to fight terrorism under the UN Charter and international law. They also spoke about how important it was to “hold those responsible for these despicable acts of terrorism accountable.”
The greater Sahel
The Council was worried about the security situation in Mali and the cross-border nature of terrorism in the Sahel region. At the same time, it gave MINUSMA and other security forces in the area its full support.
They told the parties in Mali to do this “as soon as possible” so that the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali could be carried out correctly.
“There can’t be lasting peace and stability in the Sahel area without a mix of political, security, peacebuilding, and sustainable development activities that help all parts of Mali,” they said. “The Agreement must also be fully, effectively, and inclusively implemented.”
Senegalese MINUSMA peacekeepers keep an eye on the route their soldiers must take to get to Ogoussagou to ensure they are safe.
Supporting Mali
The Council also talked about how important it is for MINUSMA to have the resources it needs to do its job and make the blue helmets safer and more secure.
The peacekeepers’ resolve to support the peace and reconciliation process in Mali will not be affected by these “heinous crimes,” the statement said.
Needy friends
The goal of the Group of Friends to Promote Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers project, which was started the day before the attacks on the UN Headquarters in New York, was to make blue helmets safer and more protected.
The head of peace operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said Mali was one of three countries that had lost 84% of their peacekeepers since 2013.
He also mentioned that four Chadian MINUSMA members died on October 10 when an IED went off in Tessalit, Kidal Region.
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