Thaindian News

Khartoum, Oct 11 (IANS) Three peacekeepers of the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were killed and six others were injured in an attack by an unidentified armed group in Sudan’s North Darfur state, the mission said Tuesday.

“Three peacekeepers, including two soldiers and one police advisor, were killed and six peacekeepers injured, three of them seriously. One assailant was also killed,” the mission said in a statement.

It added that “at approximately 20.15 (local time) on Oct. 10, a UNAMID patrol came under attack by armed assailants in Zam Zam internally displaced persons camp, some 10 km south of El Fasher in North Darfur.”

Ibrahim Gambari, a joint special representative and UNAMID chief, strongly condemned the attack.

“I condemn in the strongest terms this attack on our peacekeepers who have worked selflessly to bring security to the internally displaced persons of Zam Zam camp where so many Darfuris have sought refuge,” Gambari said.

“The UNAMID patrol was a regular nightly patrol of unarmed police advisors and armed military escorts. Their mission was to protect civilians. For that, they paid the ultimate sacrifice,” the statement added.

The UNAMID chief called upon the Sudanese authorities to mount a full investigation immediately and to find and bring to justice the perpetrators as soon as possible.

“An attack on international peacekeepers is a war crime and we will ensure that justice will be served. This deplorable incident will not deter UNAMID’s strong commitment to its mission to protect the people of Darfur,” Gambari said.

Since the initial deployment of UNAMID in 2007, 33 peacekeepers have been killed as a result of hostile actions.