SC/11914-AFR/3147-PKO/493
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Raimonda Murmokaitė (Lithuania):
The members of the Security Council deplored the shooting incident that took place in Bamako, Mali, on 25 May 2015, during which a Bangladeshi peacekeeper of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was killed and another injured. The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the explosion of a mine on a MINUSMA convoy, in which the Force Commander and Police Commissioner of MINUSMA were present, on 28 May 2015, in the region of Timbuktu, and which left three peacekeepers injured.
The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences to the family of the victim of these attacks, as well as to the Government and people of Bangladesh.
The members of the Security Council called on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate these attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice and stressed that those responsible for the attack should be held accountable. The members of the Security Council underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.
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.
The members of the Security Council reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to MINUSMA and the French forces that support it. The members of the Security Council expressed their particular gratitude to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, Mongi Hamdi, and to MINUSMA to assist the Malian authorities and the Malian people in their efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to their country, as mandated by the Security Council in its resolution 2164 (2014), and paid tribute to the peacekeepers of MINUSMA who risk their life in this respect. The members of the Security Council recalled their call on all parties in Mali to cooperate fully with the deployment and activities of MINUSMA.
