Assailants Fire Small Arms, Mortars In 'Complex' Attack On UN Mission In Mali - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2021) Attackers that earlier on Monday conducted a complex assault on a camp of the UN Integrated Stabilization Mission for Mali (MINUSMA) in the Kidal Region used a mortar and small arms fire, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a press briefing.

"The UN Mission in Mali reports that earlier today, its premises were targeted by unidentified assailants in Aguelhok in the Kidal region," Dujarric said on Tuesday. "Preliminary reports on the ground described a complex attack against a number of UN mission's locations in Aguelhok, and that attack involved indirect mortar and small arms fire."

Dujarric said UN peacekeepers retaliated the attacks, which forced the assailants to flee. No casualties or material damage have been reported on the UN side.

Earlier, UN Special Representative and Head of MINUSMA El-Ghassim Wane strongly condemned the attack, which was successfully repelled by the Chadian troops deployed in the area.

Last week, the Mali military arrested interim President Bah N'Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and transported them to the Kati base near the capital of Bamako. Mali's newly-appointed Interim President, Col. Assimi Goita, said that he had dismissed the president and prime minister for violating the transitional charter.

A military source told Sputnik that Goita had informed the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that a military council would assume power in Mali. Since, Mali's membership in the ECOWAS has been suspended.