Three dead in rocket attack on UN base in north Mali: UN sources

BAMAKO: Two UN peacekeepers and a civilian were killed in a rocket attack Saturday on a UN base in the northeastern Malian city of Kidal, UN sources said.

"Our camp in Kidal was attacked early this morning by terrorists using rockets," said an official from the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), adding that two Guinean UN peacekeepers and a civilian contractor were killed. A local official confirmed the report.

Another UN source said 14 others were injured in the attack.

This comes a week after Gunmen went on a rampage at a luxury hotel in Mali´s capital, and took 170 guests and staff hostage.

The ensuing operation to end the nine-hour siege left 19 dead. The Al-Murabitoun group, an Al-Qaeda affiliate led by notorious one-eyed Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar, nicknamed the "Uncatchable" or "Mr Marlboro", claimed that attack.