Unknown gunmen kill UNAMID soldier in North Darfur

September 27, 2015 (MELLIT) – A soldier of the African Union United Nation Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) was shot dead by unknown gunmen in North Darfur state on Sunday.

“Unidentified armed group ambushed a UNAMID’s convoy on the road between the two areas,” a UNAMID official told Sudan Tribune correspondent in El Fasher. “The assailants managed to capture two trucks loaded with fuel on their way to the UNAMID compound in Almaliha,” he further said.

The slain South African soldier was a member of the protection unit that accompanied the trucks. Four other peacekeepers were injured as result of the clashes and transported to El-Fasher Hospital.

The official who preferred anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media said the Sudanese authorities failed to determine the identify the attacker despite the efforts deployed to hunt them including military aircraft that flew over Mellit to find out their destination.

UN CHIEF CONDEMNS

In New York, the office of the United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon issued a statement condemning “in the strongest possible terms” the attack on the logistic the UNAMID logistics convoy.

“The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the South African Government and people, and to the family of the deceased peacekeeper. He wishes the wounded a speedy recovery,” says the statement.

Ban called on the Sudanese authorities to probe the aggression and to bring perpetrators to justice. Further he called on the different parties involved in the 12-year conflict to “respect the integrity of the peacekeeping force”.

UNAMID death toll since the creation of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in December 2007 has risen to 59 after Sunday’s incident.

(ST)