Two German UN peacekeepers killed in Mali helicopter crash

Two German United Nations (UN) peacekeepers were killed Wednesday when their helicopter crashed as they were monitoring clashes in northern Mali, German and UN officials say.

According to Press TV, UN diplomats confirmed that the attack helicopter and the crew had been supplied by Germany to MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali.

"Sadly we now know that two Bundeswehr (German army) soldiers have given their lives for our country," German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said in Berlin late Wednesday.

According to German Vice Admiral Joachim Georg Ruehle, the helicopter crew did not issue any distress calls and there were no firm indications as to the cause of the crash, which happened at around 12:20 GMT, 70 kilometers north of the city of Gao.

The army believes the helicopter was the victim of "a massive technical failure," the German magazine Der Spiegel reported.

MINUSMA in a statement confirmed the two UN peacekeepers had been killed and that the crash was thought to have been the result of a mechanical failure.

A UN source in Gao said earlier that nothing at this stage would suggest the aircraft was hit or shot at as it monitored fighting in the area.

The UN operation, launched in 2013, is considered the world body's most dangerous peacekeeping mission, with dozens of its staff killed over the last four years.

Germany has reinforced its presence in Mali this year, deploying several Tiger combat helicopters and raising the number of Germans serving in MINUSMA to 639 as of June, the army's largest presence overseas.

Following Wednesday's crash, all helicopter operations have been suspended, Von der Leyen said.

The crash comes two years after two Dutch UN peacekeepers died when their Apache attack helicopter crashed in northern Mali.

Northern Mali is the site of frequent clashes between rival armed groups, as well as a haven for terrorist activity.

ME