One peacekeeper killed in Congo after UN chopper comes under fire

One UN peacekeeper was killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday when a helicopter operated by the peacekeeping force came under fire while in mid-air, the UN mission called MONUSCO said.

The helicopter was able to land in the provincial capital Goma. It was attacked after taking off from the city of Beni in the early afternoon.

One peacekeeper was also severely wounded in the attack, MONUSCO said in a statement, which did not say who might be responsible. The statement did not say what weapon was fired at the helicopter or what caused the casualties.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed the unfortunate Oryx helicopter incident in Goma. More information will be provided by the SANDF in due course.

A UN peacekeeping mission of around 18 200 personnel has been deployed in eastern Congo since taking over from a previous UN operation in 2010. Its mandate includes supporting the Congolese government’s effort to stabilise a region racked by rebel violence.

Eight peacekeepers were killed last year when their helicopter crashed in a part of North Kivu province, where the Congolese army was fighting a rebel group known as the M23.