Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 2nd Nov. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Wednesday told reporters in a regular press briefing in New York that sSeveral blue helmets were “seriously injured” during the departure of the last contingent of peacekeepers from the restive Kidal region of Mali.
He noted that the convoy initially left by road on Tuesday for Gao, and suffered two attacks from improvised explosives on the way that caused vehicle damage and minor injuries to two peacekeepers which were treated on site in line with the accelerated withdrawal process of the UN’s stabilization mission, MINUSMA.
Dujarric told that Thursday’s incident involved another explosive device led to much more serious injuries.
Mr. Dujarric, said “A mission to evacuate the injured peacekeepers by air has been launched from Gao, and the Permanent Mission of the troop-contributing-country in question has been kept informed throughout”.
“The convoy, the last to depart the Kidal camp, is making its way towards the MINUSMA base in Gao in extremely challenging security conditions.”
He added that the convoy was forced to depart without any air support due to a lack of flight authorization by the Malian military authorities, which have pressed the UN to wind up the mission by the end of next month, which it is on track to do.
Mr. Dujarric added that the lack of air cover “has increased the threat to the safety of our peacekeepers as they travel hundreds of kilometers in very unsafe territories”.
He said with the exception of the liquidation team, including the rear parties of contingents and its guard unit, the UN is determined to meet its 31 December deadline.
“We continue to look forward to Mali’s full cooperation with this process” he added.
MINUSMA has been in Mali since 2013. It was established by Security Council mandate to protect civilians and stabilize the restive north and central regions following a failed coup, and a continuing insurgency led by Islamist armed groups.
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