Attack on UN base in Mali kills 8 peacekeepers

Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack Sunday on one of their bases in northern Mali, a source close to the MINUSMA force said.

“According to a new toll, still provisional, at least eight peacekeepers have been killed,” the source said.

#UPDATE Gunmen killed at least eight Chadian UN peacekeepers in an attack on one of their bases in northern Mali, a source close to the MINUSMA force says https://t.co/6hFgj5P4hr

— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 20, 2019

The attack happened early Sunday at the Aguelhok base 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Kidal and towards the border with Algeria, the source added.

A Malian security source spoke of at least six killed and 19 wounded, while a diplomat in northern Mali told AFP that several of the attackers were also killed.

Al-Qaida-linked jihadists attack UN base in North Mali https://t.co/ZCDjEistrS pic.twitter.com/E7jvRgfLeS

— NEWS102.3 KRMG ? ? ? (@KRMGtulsa) January 20, 2019

An attack at the same base last April killed two peacekeepers and left several others wounded.

More than 13,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Mali as part of a UN mission that was established after Islamist militias seized northern Mali in 2012. They were pushed backed by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability to Mali following a brief Islamist takeover in the north.

[RTE] Eight UN peacekeepers killed by gunmen in Mali https://t.co/Ip7Aq0n8Gu | rtenews pic.twitter.com/acZfrEbraB

— ??????? david jones (DavidJones_now) January 20, 2019

But the accord has failed to stop violence by Islamist militants, who have also staged attacks in Burkina Faso and Niger.

Earlier this month, both France and the United States criticised the authorities in Mali for their failure to stem the worsening violence.

#Mali: Unidentified gunmen attacked a local political delegation on Friday in Petein Bouli, #Gao.

— Sylva Gabriel (@Gabisymen) January 20, 2019

#Mali: Don't be surprised if #JNIM claims the attack as a response to the historical visit of #Israel-i PM netanyahu who arrived this morning in N'Djamena, #Chad - ArutzSheva_Enhttps://t.co/Eyo864lJcV pic.twitter.com/lNcKz7dzoZ

— MENASTREAM (@MENASTREAM) January 20, 2019

AFP