UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms Sunday's attack in Mali that killed two Malian children and a Chadian UN peacekeeper and injured 11 peacekeepers along with three civilians.
The deadly mortar and rocket fire on a camp of the United Nations Multinational Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Kidal resulted in at least four shells landing inside the camp and on a civilian dwelling outside the camp.
Ban expressed in a statement that the killing of UN peacekeepers and civilian Malians is "intolerable and a breach of international humanitarian law." This flagrant attempt to obstruct progress at a crucial moment in the Malian peace process is reprehensible, he added. He then encouraged all Malians to reject such violence and intimidation and to continue efforts to arrive at a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Furthermore, he extended his deepest sympathies to the families of the peacekeeper and the children who lost their lives in this attack, and his sincere wishes for the full and speedy recovery of those injured. Ban then expressed his condolences to the Government and people of Chad.
In their capacity, the UNSC 15 member states condemned in the strongest terms the coordinated attacks against a MINUSMA camp in Kidal. In a separate statement, they expressed deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this "heinous crime," as well as to the Governments and people of Mali and Chad and to MINUSMA. They paid tribute to the Chadian peacekeepers for their sacrifices and continued efforts in MINUSMA.
Moreover, they called on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice and stressed that those responsible shall be held accountable, underlining that "attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law." Furthermore, the members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.