Ethiopian peacekeeper shot dead in West Darfur

July 2, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Unknown gunmen killed an Ethiopian peacekeeper in West Darfur the hybrid UN/African Union peacekeeping operation (UNAMID) said Saturday.

The Ethiopian soldier “was shot and later died of his injuries on 30 June in El-Geneina, West Darfur while traveling in a UN minivan. A second peacekeeper sustained an injury to one arm and is in stable condition,” UNAMID said today.

The attack took place when the vehicle carrying five Ethiopian peacekeepers, was on the road between the airport and the capital of West Darfur state.

No motive has been established in the case, which is being investigated by UNAMID military police and Sudanese police.

The mission in such situation has the right to act under Chapter Seven and open fire to defend itself as it was the case in June 2010 when unidentified group of armed men ambushed a convoy of 20 Rwandan peacekeepers near Katila village, 85km south of Edd al Fursan in West Darfur.

At the time the mission lost three peacekeepers and killed three assailants.

Saturday’s assault brings to 29 the total number of peacekeepers killed in western Sudan since January 2008.

(ST)