Explosion kills 3 UN peacekeepers in Mali

Three UN soldiers were killed and two others wounded by an explosive device as they were escorting a convoy in Northern Mali on Thursday, the peacekeeping mission in the West African nation said.

More than 80 members of the UN mission, Known as MINUSMA,have been killed since 2013 in attacks by militants groups active in the country's North and center.

The missions said in a statement that the peacekeeper's vehicle struck the explosive device between the northern towns of Tessalit and Aguelhok around 2:30 p.m [14:30 GMT].

It did not identify the nationalities of the soldiers involved.

"I condemn with the greatest energy such abject acts,whose only objectives and harm the peace proceed under Mali," said Interim Mission Chief, Koen Davidse.

The rise of Jihadist groups- some linked to Al Qaeda and Islamic state - in the arid Sahel has alarmed western powers like France,which has deployed thousands of troops to region in response.

Four U.S. special forces troops were killed earlier this month in neighboring Niger by fighters believed to belong to a Local Islamic state affiliate operating out of Mali.

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