UN peacekeepers facing rising terror threat in Mali

The United Nations has unanimously approved to deploy an extra 2500 troops to its MINUSMA troops in Mali.

The force has been the worst hit by attacks compared to other peacekeeping missions in the world.

The Blue Helmets have suffered frequent attacks which have now hit 69.

The recent attack took place in May where five peacekeepers died and three others were injured at a UN mission in Kidal, nothern Mali.

Since the month of May, at least 20 people, among them Malian forces, UN peacekeepers and civilians working for the United Nations, have lost their lives in various terrorist acts in North and Central Mali.

Since the beginning of this year, dozens of attacks against the troops have been registered in Kidal region, resulting in the death of at least 12 of its personnel.

The UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon reiterated that the mission will continue to support the stabilization of Mali and the implementation of the peace agreement.

He further warned that attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute war crimes under international law.

MINUSMA was established on 25 April 2013 by a UN Security Council Resolution to stabilise the country after the Tuareg rebellion in 2012. It was officially deployed on July 1st the same year.