Two UNAMID peacekeepers killed in South Darfur
Source: United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
Date: Friday, 07 May 2010/PR/ 19-2010/via ReliefWeb
El Fasher, 07 May 2010 – Today at about 11.30hrs, a military convoy from UNAMID's Egyptian contingent, with three vehicles and 20 personnel, was ambushed near Katila village, 85km south of Edd al Fursan, South Darfur, by a group of unidentified armed men who indiscriminately opened fire, without warning, on the peacekeepers.+ + +
The attackers fled when the convoy returned fire. The attack left two peacekeepers killed in action and three seriously wounded. The injured soldiers were air-lifted to UNAMID's hospital in Nyala, South Darfur, and are reported in stable condition.
The AU-UN Joint Special Representative (JSR) Ibrahim Gambari expressed outrage at this cowardly attack against UNAMID's peacekeepers, who are in Darfur to help restore peace and stability. UNAMID remains undaunted and unwavering in its commitment to carrying out its mandate in the service of peace.
UNAMID calls upon the Government of the Sudan to identify, capture and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice and reminds all parties that any attack against peacekeepers constitutes a war crime.
This attack brings to 24 the number of UNAMID personnel killed in hostile actions since the Mission's was established in January 2008.
Communication and Public Information Division Media Contacts
Kemal Saïki, Director; saiki@un.org, tel.: +249 (0)92 244 3529 / mobile: +249 (0)92 241 0020
Noureddine Mezni, Spokesperson; mezni@un.org, mobile: +249 (0)91 253 8420/ +249 (0)91 217 4276
Mayada Umbadda, Media Relations; umbadda@un.org, mobile: +249 (0)91 250 1966
Further reports
Gunmen kill 2 peacekeepers in Sudan's south Darfur
The Associated Press (CAIRO) Friday, 07 May 2010 - excerpt:
Egypt's Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack, and said in a statement that Egyptian officials were working with their Sudanese counterparts to find out who was responsible.Two Egyptian peacekeepers killed in Darfur ambush
AFP (KHARTOUM, Sudan) Friday, 07 May 2010 - excerpt:
In New York, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said: "The secretary-general is equally incensed" by this attack. (...)Click on labels here below to view previous reports.
The statement also said that UNAMID "remains undaunted and unwavering in its commitment to carrying out its mandate in the service of peace" despite the bloodshed. "There is absolutely no reason why our peacekeepers should have been attacked. This is a criminal act of violence that we are forcefully denouncing," Saiki said on UN radio. (...)
AU chief Jean Ping also confirmed the deaths earlier in a statement to AFP in Addis Ababa, expressing "shock and regret" at the deaths of the two Egyptians.
In April four South African peacekeepers who had been held in Darfur were freed unharmed after 15 days in captivity.
Their abductors said the kidnapping occurred in order to show the world "that security conditions in Darfur did not allow for elections".
+ + + UPDATE on Sunday, 09 May 2010 + + +
Photo: Egyptian peacekeepers carry one of the coffins of the two Egyptian peacekeepers who were killed on Friday, as their bodies are prepared for repatriation at Nyala airport in Sudan, Saturday, May 8, 2010. (AP Photo/UNAMID, Albert Gonzalez Farran) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES
Photo: An Egyptian peacekeeper prays beside the coffins of the two Egyptian peacekeepers who were killed on Friday, as their bodies are prepared for repatriation at Nyala airport in Sudan, Saturday, May 8, 2010. (AP Photo/UNAMID, Albert Gonzalez Farran) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES
Mohammed Hossain, one of the three Egyptian peacekeepers who were injured, in addition to two colleagues who were killed, is treated at a UNAMID medical facility in Nyala, Sudan, Saturday, May 8, 2010. (AP Photo/UNAMID, Albert Gonzalez Farran) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES
High level Egyptian officials visit Sudan
From MirayaFM - Sunday, 09 May 2010 14:05:
The Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul Ghait and the Egyptian Intelligence Chief, Omar Suleiman arrived to Khartoum today. Speaking to Miraya, the Egyptian Ambassador to Khartoum, Mohammed Abdel Munaim Al Chazali, said that Abul Gait and Omar Suleiman will meet President-elect Omar Al Bashir and the Vice President Ali Osman Taha.
The two officials will also travel to Juba to meet with First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit arrives to meet Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum May 9, 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit speaks to the press after meeting Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum May 9, 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)
Note, Sudan Watch report dated 27 May 2007 re Egyptian peacekeeper killed in El Fasher, North Darfur - UN NGO's Leave El Fasher - Egyptian UN soldier killed in Sudan's North Darfur - excerpt:
The circumstances surrounding the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Ehab Nazih, a Military Staff Officer from Egypt, are still under investigation, according to UNMIS, which confirmed that late Friday, three armed men, wearing civilian clothes, broke into the private house he shared with seven other UNMIS staff.
After taking money and valuables from the other occupants of the house, the armed men moved to the victim's room and demanded money from Lt. Colonel Nazih, who gave them all the money he had and was then shot.
He was rushed to the a Hospital run by the African Union Mission in Darfur (AMIS), where he was pronounced dead, UNMIS said, offering thanks to "the AMIS staff and medical personnel who did all they could to save the life of their UNMIS colleague." + + +
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