Ugandan police officer passes away in Darfur hospital

October 2, 2008 (EL FASHER) A sick Ugandan police officer passed away in a Nyala clinic, according to a report Wednesday from the UN-African Union hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur.

UNAMID Sector South reported that the Ugandan officer attached to the Menawashi Community Policing Centre fell sick and was medically evacuated from Khor-Abeche. He passed away shortly after being admitted at Nyala UNAMID clinic.

His death follow’s Uganda’s loss of another officer May 28 when he was shot dead in his car in the North Darfur town of El Fasher. Others have died of natural causes as well.

Ugandan forces also serve on the African Union Mission to Somalia. Two Ugandan soldiers were killed Sept. 14 and 15 in Somalia, where the force presently faces mortar attacks on their base at the Mogadishu airport.

He is the third peacekeeper to die in Darfur, last week a South Africa soldier died after a sting by scorpion. Last May a Rwandan peacekeeper developed diabetes and since it was the first time, he went into a coma and died a short while later in Darfur.

(ST)