Two UN peacekeepers were killed and five people wounded by an improvised explosive device in northern Mali on Tuesday, the UN said.
“This morning, an armoured vehicle in a Minusma supply convoy hit a mine on the Tessalit-Gao highway,” the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) said in a statement.
The mission added that two peacekeepers had died from their wounds and five others were seriously injured in the attack. A rapid intervention force was sent to the scene and the injured were removed, it said.
Minusma strongly condemned the attack, which may constitute a war crime under international law.
The mission said it is concerned over the “frequent use by terrorist groups and elements of improvised explosive devices to undermine the mission's operations”.
“Mines and improvised explosive devices in Mali affect UN personnel, Malian defence and security forces and the communities we serve without distinction.”
Last month, two Egyptian peacekeepers were killed when their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device in central Mali. Two other peacekeepers were injured in the attack on the armoured personnel carrier outside the town of Douentza as the convoy travelled to Timbuktu.
Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by insurgent groups linked to ISIS and Al Qaeda. Vast parts of the country are controlled by myriad rebel groups, militias and criminal gangs.
Minusma was deployed in 2013 to shore up the turbulent Sahel state, where fighting has claimed thousands of lives and uprooted hundreds of thousands.
With 13,000 members, the mission is one of the UN's biggest peacekeeping operations as well as one of its most dangerous, with about 260 personnel having been killed in the line of duty.
Egypt — together with Chad and Bangladesh — are the top three contributors to the force.
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
