An Army Captain and a soldier, who were on a UN Peacekeeping Mission to Mali, died today following an explosion. Several Sri Lankan soldiers sustained injuries and they are currently receiving treatment. 

"An armoured vehicle, WMZ carrying Sri Lankan Peacekeeping troops on patrol in the general area of Douentza in West Africa’s trouble-torn Mali, came under a remote-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack around 6.30 a.m. early this morning (25) in local Mali time," Sri Lanka Army said in a statement this evening.

The statement also added, "The attack on the WMZ and the convoy which was returning after a mission killed one Sri Lankan Army Captain and another Sri Lankan Army trooper who were on board the WMZ. Reports reaching here further confirm that three more Sri Lankan soldiers have sustained injuries and admitted to the nearby hospital.

At the time this report was compiled, clearing operations were still on. The attack caused damages to the ill-fated WMZ vehicle and another that followed behind. UN Peacekeeping Mission Headquarters in Mali is conducting investigations into the incident."