Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned the "horrific terrorist attack" on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, which caused at least 22 dead Malian security sources said.
AFP
The hostage-taking by armed men, suspected jihadists in the Malian capital, was completed on Friday after nine hours of hell and more than twenty dead after the joint intervention of Malian and foreign forces.
In a statement Ban said he was "concerned about the fact that these attacks come at a time where you can observe significant progress in the peace process" between the Malian government and Tuareg rebels in the north.
In May and June this year the Malian government and some rebel groups signed a peace agreement.
Ban Ki-moon "deplores any attempt to harm the implementation of the agreement," said Stephane Duarric, UN spokesman.
Members of the two main groups in Mali - the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) Tuareg and Platform, a coalition of pro-government groups - were in Bamako to attend a meeting on the implementation of the agreement.
Ban expressed "full support of the Malian authorities in their fight against terrorist and extremist groups," adding that the peacekeepers of the UN MINUSMA are present to help.
Northern Mali fell to Tuareg rebels and jihadists groups associated with Al-Qaida in mid-2012 before being displaced by a French-led operation in early 2013.