Two Kenyan soldiers injured in attack in Sudan's Darfur: UNAMID

September 29, 2009

A Nigerian peacekeeper has been killed and two Kenyans seriously injured in an attack in Sudan's restive western region of Darfur.

The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) confirmed the recent attack on a convoy carrying UNAMID civilian and military personnel by six to eight armed men in El Geneina.

UNAMID said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the incident took place on Monday evening on the road from the UNAMID super camp in El Geneina and the city in Darfur.

"The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) strongly condemns the attack on a convoy carrying UNAMID civilian and military personnel by six to eight armed men in El Geneina on the evening of Monday at around 1845 hours that caused the death of one peacekeeper," the statement said.

According to initial reports, the men opened fire without warning on the convoy, which comprised three vehicles, and stole one of the vehicles.

Three military personnel were injured and taken to the El Genenia hospital, and subsequently evacuated by helicopter to the UNAMID hospital in Nyala, more than 300 km from El Geneina.

"One of the peacekeepers succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards. A total of five UNAMID national and international civilian staff members, two non-UNAMID personnel, 13 military troops and four military police were involved in the incident," it said.

The mission appealed to the Sudanese authorities to speedily investigate this wanton incident to bring the perpetrators to justice.

UNAMID emphasized that peacekeepers are in Darfur to assist in restoring peace and stability to the region, noting that any attack on peacekeepers was an attack on peace itself.

"Targeting UN personnel can potentially have negative consequences for the peace process," the statement said.

Since the inception of UNAMID in January 2008, 14 military personnel and three civilian police have been killed as a result of hostile attacks.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6773085.html.