Un Peacekeeper İnjured İn Mali Landmine Blast

A United Nations peacekeeper was seriously injured Wednesday in a landmine explosion in northern Mali.



The explosion took place near the Kidal Airport in northern Mali, the U.N. Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said in a statement.



Kidal is the last stronghold of ethnic Tuaregs, who had captured the northern part of Mali in early 2012 before being defeated by in a France-led offensive in 2013.



Made up of 7,204 troops, the MINUSMA was deployed in April 2013 to fight Tuaregs along with Islamist fighters who had captured several northern towns, where they later declared independence.



Seven peacekeepers have been killed in the northern African country since the deployment.



By Fabien Offner



englishnews@aa.com.tr - Bamako