Killing of 3 UN peacekeepers in Darfur strongly condemned by UN chief


October has been a "bloody" month for UN peacekeepers, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.

Ban Ki-moon spoke to reporters after two Ethiopian peacekeepers were killed while they were guarding a water borehole in North Darfur in Sudan.

A third peacekeeper, who was wounded, later died from his injuries.

Mr. Ban strongly condemned the attack on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

"This has been a bloody October for UN Peacekeeping. In Darfur, Mali and the Central African Republic, we have lost 14 peacekeepers in hostile acts — nearly one per day. This highlights the exceptionally challenging environments in which today’s peacekeepers operate. Blue Helmets must be allowed to undertake their life-saving work without interference."

The Secretary-General underscored that attacks on UN peacekeepers are unacceptable and constitute a serious violation of international law.

SOURCE: Daniel Dickinson, United Nations.