Cambodian peacekeepers died of food poisoning in Mali

Phnom Penh, June 11 (IANS) At least two Cambodian soldiers, who were on peacekeeping mission in Mali, died after they ate tainted food, a Cambodian military official confirmed Wednesday.

"I can only confirm that two Cambodian peacekeepers died Tuesday in Mali in suspicted food poisoning," Ken Sosavoeun, deputy director of the military's Peacekeeping Operations Department, told Xinhua.

"This was the first time that our peacekeepers died on the UN peacekeeping mission overseas," he said.

Cambodia sent 309 troops to Mali in February to join a UN peacekeeping mission.

Mali was plunged into turmoil after a March 2012 coup that led to an Islamic rebel takeover of large swathes of the West African country. France launched a military operation in January last year to oust them.