A suicide bomber attacked a UN barracks in northern Mali on Wednesday, the United Nations said, killing three civilians and wounding 16 people, including several peacekeepers.
The militant was attempting to drive into a camp used by the UN’s MINUSMA peacekeeping mission in Ansongo, in the northern region of Gao, when the explosives went off.
« The attack left nine injured, two seriously, among the peacekeepers from the Niger contingent. In addition, the explosion has killed at least three civilians. Seven (civilians) were also injured, » MINUSMA said in a statement.
The mission did not specify if the bomber was acting alone or if there were others in the vehicle but its head, Mongi Hamdi, condemned the « cowardly and odious » attack.
« I am shocked that valiant peacekeepers are again being targeted, as well as innocent civilians, » he was quoted as saying.
AFP