Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an-Qaeda affiliated group in Mali has claimed responsibility for the attack on a UN peacekeeper convey on the January 25 which resulted in the death of two Sri Lankan Peacekeepers and injured six others.
By Asiri Fernando
Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an-Qaeda affiliated group in Mali has claimed responsibility for the attack on a UN peacekeeper convey on the January 25 which resulted in the death of two Sri Lankan Peacekeepers and injured six others.
SITE Intelligence group a leading non government group that monitors extremism and political violence reported that JNIM had claimed responsibility for the incident.
According to SITE, JNIM had challenged the "peacekeeper" title of the Sri Lankan blue helmets and had demanded that they leave Mali.
The claim by JNIM comes days after they claimed responsibility for another attack (Jan 21) that resulted in the deaths of 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured more than 25.
A 240 strong Sri Lankan army contingent is currently carrying out peacekeeper duties with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
The JNIM group was proscribed as a terrorist group in the United States in September last year. They are operational in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
A Sri Lankan man was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi airport for attempting to smuggle wildlife out of the country after three ball pythons were found hidden in his underwear, the Bangkok post reported.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
Read these and more on tomorrow’s edition of the Sunday Times
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