Two Belgian soldiers injured in Mali
Two Belgian soldiers have been injured when the vehicle they were travelling in ran over an improvised explosive device in Mali. The two injured soldiers were taken for treatment to a hospital in Gao in the east of the country.
The Belgian Defence Ministry reports that the condition of the two injured soldiers is stable. A third soldier that was travelling the same vehicle was also taken to hospital for checks. The Belgian armed services are in Mali as part of the UN’s MINUSMA Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali) operation. Around 90 Belgian troops are currently on MINUSMA duties in the West African country.
MINUSMA is a UN peace mission the aim of which is to bring stability to Mali. In addition to the 90 soldiers that are in Mali as part of the UN peace mission a further 10 Belgian troops are in the country as part of the European EUTM Mali mission that offers training to Malian military personnel.