NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned in the strongest terms the attack on peacekeepers serving with the UN mission in Mali.

Stéphane Dujarric, the Spokesman of the UN Secretary General, in a statement said that Antonio Guterres has recalled that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law and that sanctions can be applied against those responsible.

He called on the Malian authorities to spare no effort in identifying and promptly holding to account the perpetrators of this heinous attack.