UN Says Two Peacekeepers Heavily Wounded in Mine Explosion in Mali

Two UN peacekeepers were gravely injured in mine explosion in northern Mali on Sunday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Two UN peacekeepers were gravely injured in northern Mali on Sunday, the UN Mission in the country (MINUSMA) said in a statement.

"Today [on Sunday], near 1 p.m. local time [1:00 GMT], the forces of MINUSMA, while patrolling hit a mine or improvised explosive device 25 kilometers from Tenenkou, in the region of Mopti," the statement said.

The injured peacekeepers were immediately evacuated to the MINUSMA hospital in Timbuktu, according to the statement.

Head of MINUSMA Mongi Hamdi underlined that UN mission remains "more determined than ever" to implement its mandate in support of Mali people.

Over the past year, the number of assaults, including rocket attacks, suicide bombings and land mines causing injuries and casualties among UN peacekeepers in Mali soared dramatically, according to the US State Department.

Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 military coup, after which separatist tribes seized control over vast territories in northern Mali, and later, various Islamist groups started to operate in the country.

The UN Mission has been present in the African country since 2013.