Fourth UN peacekeeper dies following attack in northern Mali

A fourth UN peacekeeper from Ivory Coast died from injuries inflicted by an improvised explosive device and an attack by unidentified gunmen in northern Malis Timbuktu region, the United Nations said here.

In Wednesday's incident, the UN initially reported that three Ivorian peacekeepers died and six were wounded.

“This morning, we have learned from the (UN) mission that sadly, a fourth Ivorian peacekeeper has died from his injuries overnight in Bamako, the capital of Mali,'' UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday. ''Five peacekeepers were injured in the attack; three of them are being evacuated to Dakar for further medical treatment,'' the official said.

The attack began when the peacekeepers vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during a security operation along the Douentza and Timbuktu axis about 20 kilometres north of the town of Bamabara-Maoude in the Timbuktu region, the UN peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA said in a statement.

The gunmen who then fired on the peacekeepers later fled the scene and medical evacuations were carried out by helicopters.