United Nations headquartersNo fewer than 32 UN officials were killed in 2016, with most of them killed in deliberate attacks, the UN has said.

Mr Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General, said that at a press briefing on Tuesday that most of the victims were UN Peacekeepers.

“The Standing Committee for the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service of the UN Staff Union says that at least 32 UN personnel were killed in deliberate attacks in 2016.

“They are mostly peacekeepers but also two security guards, one civilian staff member and one contractor,” he said.

Haq explained that for the third year in a row the greatest loss of lives was recorded in Mali.

According to him, at least 23 UN personnel were killed in the country during that year.

“In the past five years, almost 240 United Nations personnel have died in deliberate attacks,” Haq regretted. (NAN)