Thursday, 30 October 2008 (Guardian) report by AP writer Sarah El Deeb - excerpts:
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Gunmen opened fire on a group of South African peacekeepers guarding a well in Darfur, killing one and seriously wounding another, a spokesman for the joint U.N.-African Union mission said Thursday.- - -
Nine South African peacekeepers were guarding the well, which provides water to the peacekeepers and general population of Kutum in northern Darfur, when the attack occurred Wednesday night, said peacekeeping force spokesman Noureddine Mezni.
"A convoy of vehicles with armed (men) attacked the force," Mezni said, adding the attackers fled after peacekeepers returned fire.
One of the peacekeepers died after reaching the nearest camp, about half a mile from the well. The other, a seriously wounded female soldier, was evacuated to el-Fasher, North Darfur's provincial capital.
"We were securing a water well used by the population. We are not part of the conflict," he said, adding the brazen attack left peacekeepers "shocked."
Mezni said the peacekeepers were still investigating who was behind the attack and would not be deterred from carrying out their mission.
In July, some 200 gunmen ambushed a convoy in northern Darfur, killing seven peacekeepers in one of the most brazen attacks against the force. The attackers have not yet been identified. Three other peacekeepers were killed in separate attacks around Darfur this year.
Peacekeepers have rarely blamed any of the warring factions in the conflict zone, and attackers have only been arrested once.
UN Peacekeeper Killed, Another Wounded in Sudan's North Darfur
Thursday, 30 October 2008 (Bloomberg) report by Heba Aly - excerpts:
A South African soldier serving with the United Nations-led peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region was killed yesterday, bringing the death toll among the force's members to 11 since July, the UN said.- - -
Gunmen yesterday attacked peacekeepers in the Kutum area of northern Darfur, Noureddine Mezni, spokesman of the UN-African Union mission, known as Unamid, said by phone from El-Fasher. One male soldier died of his injuries, while a female South African trooper was wounded, he said.
"With this South African soldier, we have now lost 11 peacekeepers since the beginning of the mission,'' Mezni said.
A Nigerian soldier was killed on Oct. 6 in southern Darfur in an attack on his convoy. In July, seven peacekeepers were killed and 22 injured in a single ambush on a police and military patrol. The same month another peacekeeper was shot and killed in western Darfur by gunmen in five vehicles. A 10th died in September when she was stung by a scorpion.
Murderous attack against UNAMID peacekeepers
Thursday, 30 October 2008 report by United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID):
(El Fasher) On Wednesday 29 October, at approximately 1800 hours, South African soldiers serving with the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) came under attack from unidentified men who arrived in several heavily armed vehicles.- - -
At the time of the incident, the contingent was securing a water point near the Kassab Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, in the vicinity of Kutum, 103 kilometers north-west of El Fasher, North Darfur. One peacekeeper was killed and another wounded as a result of the attack. The injured female soldier and the body of the peacekeeper who died were evacuated to El Fasher.
The Mission has sent troops to reinforce the attacked location, search for the assailants and conduct an investigation.
UNAMID strongly condemns this cowardly act of violence targeting United Nations personnel who work tirelessly to alleviate the dire suffering of Darfurians.
UNAMID peacekeepers are serving in Darfur in an effort to bring back and maintain peace in this beleaguered part of the Sudan and all parties are, once again, reminded that, under international law, any attack against peacekeepers constitutes a war crime.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1769 (2007) authorized the deployment of up to 19,555 military personnel, including 360 military observers and liaison officers and up to 3,772 police personnel and 19 formed police units. There are currently 9,073 military personnel serving with UNAMID.
+ + + Rest In Peace fallen soldiers + + +
Snapshot of Google's newsreel 15:37 GMT Thursday, 30 October 2008:
UN soldier shot dead in Darfur
Radio Netherlands, Netherlands - 45 minutes ago
A South African UN soldier has been shot dead in the Darfur region of Sudan. Another soldier was seriously injured when their unit came under fire. ...
Inquiry into death of SA peacekeeper
The Times, South Africa - 3 hours ago
An inquiry will be conducted after gunmen killed a South African soldier and wounded another in Darfur, the South African National Defence Force said today. ...
Gunmen kill South African peacekeeper in Sudan's Darfur
Reuters UK, UK - 4 hours ago
By Alaa Shahine KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Unknown gunmen have killed a South African peacekeeper and wounded another in Sudan's western Darfur region, ...
Gunmen kill UN/AU peackeeper in Sudan's Darfur
Reuters - 4 hours ago
KHARTOUM, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Gunmen have killed a peacekeeper and wounded another in an attack in North Darfur in western Sudan, the joint United ...
UN peacekeeper killed in Darfur attack
Africasia, UK - 5 hours ago
Gunmen killed a South African peacekeeper with the UN-led mission in Sudan's Darfur region and seriously wounded a female soldier in the second deadly ...
Gunmen kill peacekeeper in north Darfur
International Herald Tribune, France - 5 hours ago
AP KHARTOUM, Sudan: A spokesman for Darfur peacekeepers says unknown gunmen attacked two South African troops guarding a water well in the north of the ...
SA soldier dies in Sudan shooting
Sowetan, South Africa - 1 hour ago
Defence Minister Charles Nqakula today announced the death of a South African National Defence Force soldier in Sudan. "This tragic incident occurred at a ...
South African soldier killed, another seriously injured in Darfur
Monsters and Critics.com - 3 hours ago
Johannesburg - A South African soldier was killed and another seriously injured in an attack by gunmen on their unit in the conflict-hit western Sudanese ...
SANDF to investigate death of soldier in Sudan
BuaNews Online (press release), South Africa - 36 minutes ago
Pretoria - A Board of Inquiry will be set up by the South African National Defence Force to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a South ...
Gunmen kill peacekeeper in north Darfur
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 3 hours ago
AP KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Gunmen on vehicles assaulted a group of South African peacekeepers guarding a water well in Darfur, killing one and seriously ...
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