Egypt to suspend activities of its contingent in Mali UN mission

Egypt has told the United Nations it will temporarily suspend the activities of its contingent in a Mali peacekeeping mission, citing increased attacks on its peacekeepers who escort convoys supplying UN bases, a UN spokesperson said on Friday.

The attacks have caused the death of seven Egyptian soldiers since the beginning of the year. "We have been informed that as a result, the Egyptian contingent will temporarily suspend its activities within MINUSMA as of August 15," the spokesperson said.

The decision is another blow to the mission after Mali's military junta temporarily suspended troop rotations by contributing nations to the peacekeeping mission on Thursday.