Sudan

Seven UN troops killed in Darfur

Article published on the 2008-07-09 Latest update 2008-07-10 09:47 TU

African Union troops change into UN blue berets in Darfur
(File photo: Reuters)

Seven UN soldiers have been killed and 22 wounded in attack in Darfur. Gunmen in 40 vehicles, armed with heavy weaponry, ambushed the convoy on Wednesday, according to UN officials, who suspect that the attackers belonged to the Janjaweed militia. The attack took place Um Hakibah in North Darfur State. 

The soldiers were returning from investigating a previous attack in the area when they were ambushed.

UN officials in Sudan say a Ghanaian was among the dead while, Kampala says that another is a Ugandan police officer. Seventeen Rwandans are among the wounded, some of whom are in intensive care.

Shereen El Zorba, a press officer for the mission in Sudan, spoke to RFI about the attack.

"Obviously they were targeted. And Unamid is outraged. We are on the ground to try and establish peace and security," El Zorba said from Khartoum.

"We are not party to the conflict. Unamid is there to alleviate the strain of the conflict," she added.

UN troops, who are poorly equipped and undermanned, have been subjected to numerous attacks since taking over the helm from an African Union force six months ago.

The African Union has condemned what it called a "criminal attack".