ISLAMISTS in Mali are suspected of killing a UN official and injuring others in two separate attacks.

On Friday, UN secretary-general Stephane Dujarric warned that “attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.”

A bomb struck a UN vehicle in the northern Kidal region on Thursday, killing an Egyptian soldier and injuring another.

In a separate attack, a soldier from Burkina Faso was injured after gunshots were fired towards a UN camp in Timbuktu.

Mr Dujarric urged Malian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The attacks took place just days after 12 civilians and at least 11 soldiers were killed in central Mali, where the security situation remains fragile.

In August, president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was ousted in a military coup after months of protest against his rule.

A civilian-led transitional government was installed under international pressure. Last week four hostages, including Malian opposition politician Soumaila Cisse, were released to it in exchange for 200 jihadist prisoners.

At least 200,000 people have been displaced due to Islamist violence in Mali, one of the world’s most poverty-stricken countries.

As many as 4.3 million of its 18.4m population rely on humanitarian aid, an increase of 1.1m from last year.