STOCKHOLM (Sputnik) — According to the ministry's press statement, the attack occurred on Monday evening, while the troops were patrolling an area near the Malian city of Timbuktu. No soldiers have been injured.
Mali has been experiencing violent instability following a 2012 military coup, after which separatist tribes seized control over large areas in the northern part of the country.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has been stationed together with the French troops since 2013 to counter Islamist militants. Some 250 Swedish soldiers are currently involved in the mission as part of international efforts.