PAUL LORGERIE THE United Nations peacekeeping force in Mali has deployed two units to the African country's tri-border area with Burkina Faso and Niger to respond to a spate of civilian killings, it said. A surge in attacks since early March by an Islamic State affiliate has left hundreds of civilians dead, according to official and military sources. The region has long been a hotspot of jihadist and militia violence in West Africa. "The security situation in the Tri-border area... particularly in the localities of Tessit, Talataye, Ansongo and the Menaka region, has deteriorated considerably in recent weeks," said the…