Ethiopian peacekeeper shot dead in Sudan's Darfur

Ethiopian peacekeeper shot dead in Sudan's Darfur

2011-07-03 09:41:09 GMT+7 (ICT)

DARFUR, SUDAN (BNO NEWS) -- An Ethiopian peacekeeper has been killed and another has been injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their United Nations minivan in Sudan's Darfur on Thursday, the UN/African Union mission said in a statement on Saturday.

A statement from the United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said gunmen opened fire on a UN minivan in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, on Thursday. Five Ethiopian nationals were traveling in the vehicle.

UNAMID said two peacekeepers sustained injuries when the gunmen opened fire from the side of the road between El Geneina airport and the town. One of those injured later passed away, while the second victim sustained an injury to one arm and is in a stable condition.

"No motive has been established in the case, which is being investigated by UNAMID military police and Sudanese police," the mission said in their joint statement. It did not identify the victims.

Thursday's fatality brings to 29 the number of UNAMID blue helmets who lost their lives in the line of duty while serving in Darfur. In early April, a Sierra Leonean peacekeeper was killed when armed men opened fire on a UN vehicle in North Darfur.

More than 23,000 troops, military observers and police officers and nearly 4,500 civilians serve with UNAMID, which took over peacekeeping duties from an earlier African Union mission at the start of 2008.

The force is tasked with protecting civilians, promoting an inclusive peace process and help ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance across Darfur, an arid region on Sudan's western flank.

Fighting and large-scale displacement has convulsed the region since 2003, when rebels took up arms against the Government, whose military forces responded with the support of allied militiamen.

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