The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on
Tuesday called on captors of seven Nepalese peacekeepers to release
them unconditionally.
Kemal Saiki, the spokesman for the UN mission, told Xinhua that
a patrol of Nepalese soldiers were ambushed by militiamen Sunday in
a place some 100 km northeast of Bunia, the capital of the restive
Ituri province.
One Nepalese soldier was killed during the exchange of fire,
three others were wounded and seven more captured, according to
Saiki.
The spokesman also noted that the UN mission had got in contact
with the militiamen through a reliable inter-mediator and had urged
the captors to release the peacekeepers unharmed or face serious
consequences.
Around 17,000 UN peacekeepers are being stationed in the DRC to
help the government troops there to drive well-armed rebels out of
civilian zones in time for elections slated for July 30.
Since the UN mission started in 1999, 31 peacekeepers or
observers have been killed in the vast African country.
(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2006)
