UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua): The Security Council condemned Friday's attack on UN peacekeepers in Aguelhok, Mali, which claimed the lives of four peacekeepers and injured 19 others.
In a statement on Saturday, the members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to Chad and to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known by its French acronym as MINUSMA, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Council members wished a speedy and full recovery to those injured and paid tribute to the peacekeepers who risk their lives They underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law and called on the transitional government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The council members emphasized that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and stressed the need for all States to combat it by all means.
Expressing concern about the security situation in Mali and the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region. They reiterated their full support to MINUSMA and the other security presences in Mali and the Sahel region.
The Council members noted that the full implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and the intensification of efforts to overcome asymmetric threats can contribute to improving the security situation across Mali.
The members of the Security Council further stressed the importance of MINUSMA having the necessary capacities to fulfil its mandate and promote the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers, said the statement.
( With inputs from IANS )