New York, US - The UN Security Council on Monday condemned in the strongest terms the attack on UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) peacekeepers on 5 August, which resulted in the death of a Sierra Leonean soldier and left another seriously wounded. In a statement, made available to PANA in New York, Mr Hardeep Singh Puri of India, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency for August, said the 15 members offered their condolences to the family of the peacekeeper killed in the attack, as well as the Government of Sierra Leone.

The Council noted that UNAMID is working with the Sudanese police to find the perpetrators of the attack. It also encouraged the Sudanese government to ensure that they are swiftly brought to justice.

It stressed that there must be an end to impunity for those that attack peacekeepers.

'The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support for UNAMID and called on all parties in Darfur to cooperate fully with the mission,' the statement said.

The peacekeeper was killed and the other one seriously wounded after an ambush on last Friday in the south of the strife-torn Sudanese region.

Friday's killing occurred about a month after a UNAMID peacekeeper was shot and killed in West Darfur.

About 30 UNAMID personnel have now died as a result of hostile action since the mission took over from an AU force in Darfur at the beginning of 2008.

Darfur has been wracked by fighting between Sudanese government forces, allied militiamen and rebel groups since 2003, and millions of civilians have been either internally displaced or forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries.

Pana 09/08/2011