UN-African Union peacekeeper killed in line of duty in South Darfur

A peacekeeper with the United Nations-African Union mission (UNAMID) was killed today and another injured while protecting civilians in Nyala, South Darfur.

“The attack on our peacekeepers is cowardly deplorable and our thoughts go to the families and friends of the fallen and the injured,” said the acting Joint Special Representative Aichatou Mindaoudou, stressing that this act constitutes a war crime under international law.

According to a news release issued by UNAMID, the peacekeeper, who was a member of Bangladesh's Formed Police Unit, lost his life at approximately 3:15 a.m., when a gang surrounded and fired at the staff in the mission's community policing centre inside the Otash camp for internally displaced persons.

The armed men reportedly fled after the police unit returned fire.

Ms. Mindaoudou called on the Government of Sudan to continue to make serious efforts to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.

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

Since the initial deployment of the mission on 31 December 2007, 38 peacekeepers have been killed as a result of hostile actions.