The United Nations has strongly condemned the attack on a patrol of UN mission in Mali that killed one peacekeeper.

In a statement, spokesman of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric recalled that attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.

On Friday, a patrol of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali was hit by an improvised explosive device explosion, followed by direct small arms fire in Ber, in the Timbuktu region.