I was deeply shocked to hear that today an attack was carried out on the German contingent of the UN peace mission MINUSMA in Mali. Twelve German soldiers and one other UN soldier were injured in the attack, three of them seriously. My thoughts are first and foremost with the casualties, to whom I send my heartfelt wishes for a rapid and full recovery, and to their families. I condemn this cowardly attack on the soldiers working as blue helmets to help secure peace in Mali and who are there to provide support for the long-suffering civilian population. Today’s heinous attack underscores once more how important it is for us to take a stand against the terrorists. Mali and the Sahel must be liberated from the curse of terrorism. The engagement of our servicemen and women who work for the United Nations deserves the greatest respect of us all.