UN condemns killing of peacekeeper in Sudan's Darfur region

The United Nations Security Council condemned an attack Sunday in the Darfur region of Sudan that killed one peacekeeper and injured four others, the Voice of America reported.

Unidentified gunmen fired on the peacekeepers as they escorted a logistics convoy near the town of Mellit in North Darfur. One of the injured was in serious condition, the UN said.

A Security Council statement called on Sudan to "swiftly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice."

In a separate statement from his spokesman, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the attack against the force known as the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operations in Darfur (UNAMID).

"He calls on the parties to the conflict in Darfur to respect the integrity of the peacekeeping force. He reminds them that they may be held accountable for any attacks on or threats against UNAMID," said the spokesman.

The UN has about 20,000 peacekeepers in Darfur, where various rebel groups have fought the Sudanese government for more than a decade and more than two million people remain displaced from their homes.

Source: MENA