UN chief 'deeply regrets' attack on peacekeepers

UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the latest attacks on peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur, urging the Sudanese government and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur "to conduct a full investigation into this incident".

"The secretary-general deeply regrets the latest attack on peacekeepers in Darfur, which occurred during the early morning hours of August 12, when unidentified armed assailants confronted peacekeepers of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) who were manning the Mission's community policing center inside the Otash Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Nyala, South Darfur," said a statement issued Ban's spokesman.

"One police officer from the Bangladeshi Formed Police Unit was killed and another injured," it said.

According to a news release issued by UNAMID, the peacekeeper, who was a member of Bangladesh's Formed Police Unit, lost his life at approximately 3:15 am (local time), when a gang surrounded and fired at the staff in the mission's community policing center inside the Otash camp for internally displaced persons.

The armed men reportedly fled after the police unit returned fire, said the news release.

"The secretary-general expresses his condolences to the families of the fallen and injured peacekeepers and to the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh," it said.

"The secretary-general has urged the government of Sudan and UNAMID to conduct a full investigation into this incident," the statement said.

UNAMID is tasked with protecting civilians, promoting an inclusive peace process and helping ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance across Darfur, an arid region on Sudan's western flank.

Since the initial deployment of the mission on December 31, 2007, 38 peacekeepers have been killed as a result of hostile actions.