Three Ethiopian peacekeepers slain in North Darfur
October 16, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Three Ethiopian peacekeepers were killed in North Darfur state following an attack by unknown gunmen, the hybrid African Union-United Nation Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) announced on Thursday.
“This happened when a patrol of Ethiopian peacekeepers guarding a water borehole came under sudden attack. The perpetrators seized a patrol vehicle and fled the scene,” UNAMID said.
Thursday’s attack brings the number of peacekeepers killed in Darfur to 61 since the start of the mission in December 2007.
The statement said the incident was reported to the Sudanese foreign minister “early this evening”.
UN CONDEMNS
UN chief Ban Ki-moon was the first to announce the death of the peacekeepers in comments to the press at the UN headquarters in New York.
He later strongly condemned the attack on the Ethiopian peacekeepers near Korma, North Darfur, while they were guarding a water borehole in the area.
“The Secretary-General underscores that attacks on UN peacekeepers are unacceptable and constitute a serious violation of international law,” said a statement released by his spokesperson.
Earlier, Ban told reporters this October has been a bloody month for “UN peacekeeping. In Darfur, Mali and the Central African Republic, we have lost 14 peacekeepers in hostile acts – nearly one per day,”
“This highlights the exceptionally challenging environments in which today’s peacekeepers operate. Blue Helmets must be allowed to undertake their life-saving work without interference,” he added.
In El-Fasher, the acting head of the hybrid mission Abidoun Bashua also condemned of the three peacekeepers and describe the attack as a “heinous crime against our peacekeepers”.
“This reminds us all of the great price everyone pays for the absence of peace. UNAMID personnel, as many others before them, lost their lives while attempting to bring peace to the people of Darfur,” he said.
(ST)