UN peacekeepers killed in Mali convoy attack

Two UN peacekeepers have been killed in Mali in an attack on a convoy in the north of the country.

The vehicles had stopped while travelling from Tessalit to Gao on Saturday when unidentified gunmen opened fire, a UN statement said.

The victims are reported to be Egyptian.

The head of UN force Minusma, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, condemned the attack and said every effort would be made to apprehend those behind it.

More than 13,000 international troops are in Mali to contain violence caused by various armed groups in the north and centre of the country, including jihadists linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.