Republished September 24, 2017 - 3:30 PM
Original Publication Date September 24, 2017 - 7:41 AM
TIMBUKTU, Mali - Three U.N. peacekeepers were killed and five others wounded in Mail during an attack on a convoy, the United Nations mission in the African nation said.
A U.N. official said the convoy hit a land mine around 7 a.m. about 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the northern Gao region. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't permitted to speak to the media on the matter.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement condemning the attack. He also the dead were peacekeepers from Bangladesh and send his condolences to their families.
No group had yet to claim responsibility for the attack, but it resembled other attacks linked to al-Qaida in the region.
The peacekeeping mission in Mali is the deadliest of the U.N.'s 16 global peacekeeping operations. Two peacekeepers were killed earlier this month in Kidal.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017