A Chinese UN peacekeeper and three members of a UN de-mining unit have been killed in northern Mali.

China’s foreign ministry confirmed one of its nationals was killed in a mortar attack on a UN camp in Gao that seriously wounded three others.

The UN said that “two security guards and an international expert” with a de-mining unit were also killed in a separate attack in the city.

Al-Qaeda militants have said they were behind the attacks.

The UN mission in Mali (Minusma) was set up in 2013 to help stabilise the country following a rebellion by Islamist jihadists and ethnic Tuareg fighters.

The al-Qaeda-linked insurgents, who fell out with Tuareg separatists, were ousted from northern towns by a French led-force in 2013.

Minusma is the world’s deadliest UN peacekeeping mission, with 65 of its soldiers having died in active service.

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