The United Nations has strongly condemned a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on military bases in central Mali, near the border with Burkina Faso, which left dozens of soldiers dead and many others missing.
The assaults targeted a Malian battalion of the G5 Sahel Joint Force in Boulkessi and a separate Malian army base in Mondoro, according to a statement released by the Malian Government on Tuesday.
“These acts of terror will not derail the collective efforts of the Malian Government and its partners to restore peace and security,” said Mahamat Saleh Annadif, head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
Annadif emphasized that, “At a time when Mali and its partners are working together to overcome a deep security crisis affecting the entire Sahel, such acts of violence will not weaken our determination or commitment.”
The attacks took place just days after the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, where Mali and regional security in the Sahel featured prominently on the agenda, including several high-level meetings attended by regional leaders.
This latest assault adds to a series of jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence that have plagued Mali since 2012, when Islamist militants briefly seized control of the country’s north.
According to local reports, a search operation is under way for soldiers still unaccounted for.
Annadif reaffirmed MINUSMA’s firm commitment to fulfilling its UN Security Council mandate, stressing that the implementation of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and the stabilization of Mali’s central regions remain top priorities.
The UN mission pledged to continue supporting both the G5 Sahel Joint Force—a coalition of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger—and the Malian armed forces in their fight against terrorism.
“MINUSMA has provided the G5 Sahel Force with aerial support to strengthen its position in Boulkessi and has evacuated the wounded,” the mission confirmed.
MINUSMA also extended its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Mali, expressing sympathy to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.
