• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN chief 'appalled' by attack that killed Pakistani peacekeeper in DR Congo

8 May 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the killing of a Pakistani peacekeeper during an attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) South Kivu province.

In a statement issued last night, Mr. Ban's spokesperson said the Secretary-General is "appalled by the attack" against a military convoy belonging to the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the country (MONUSCO).

Mr. Ban called on the Government to bring the perpetrators to justice, and recalled that "the killing of peacekeepers is a war crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court."

The mission has already launched an investigation to the attack.

"The Secretary-General offers his sincerest condolences and sympathy to the family of the victim, and to the Government of Pakistan," the statement said.

MONUSCO is tasked with supporting the Congolese authorities in their stabilization and peace consolidation efforts, including assisting with the holding of elections, the monitoring of human rights violations and support for Government action against armed groups operating in the east of the country.

In March, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of an intervention brigade within MONUSCO to carry out targeted offensive operations, with or without the Congolese national army, against armed groups that threaten peace in eastern DRC.