Republished June 01, 2016 - 2:26 AM
Original Publication Date June 01, 2016 - 1:55 AM
BEIJING - Attackers in Mali killed one Chinese U.N. peacekeeper and injured four in an early morning attack on their base Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry said.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying described the attack as "an act of terrorism and a serious crime that cannot be tolerated."
China has called on Mali's government and the United Nations to conduct an immediate investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, Hua said.
More than 2,400 Chinese peacekeepers are currently assigned to U.N. missions in Mali, Liberia and five other African nations.
The attack was the second on U.N. peacekeepers in recent days, with at least five Togolese killed in an attack Sunday by extremists in central Mali.
Islamic extremists have been attacking international peacekeepers and Malian soldiers working to stabilize the north three years after a French-led military campaign ousted jihadists from power.
The U.N. Security Council expressed concern over the security situation in Mali and urged full implementation of an agreement for peace and reconciliation in the West African country.
China in recent years has become a major contributor of troops, police and military experts to U.N. peacekeeping missions, with more than 3,000 currently in the field, according to the United Nations Peacekeeping website. At least 15 have been killed on different missions.
News from © The Associated Press, 2016