One crew member was killed and another injured when a helicopter of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) came under attack, MONUSCO confirmed on Sunday.
The MONUSCO chopper, which took off from Beni Sunday afternoon, was bound for Goma, in the northeastern province of North Kivu. It managed to land in Goma, MONUSCO said on social media.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
MONUSCO strongly condemned the attack on this aircraft bearing the United Nations emblem.
The UN organization recalled, however, that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute a war crime.
The UN mission also expressed its deepest condolences to the family and country of origin of the deceased peacekeeper.
“MONUSCO will spare no effort in agreement with the Congolese authorities to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice. ” a senior MONUSCO official said on his Twitter account.
This incident comes less than two weeks after a shell fired from Rwanda and aimed at a Congolese fighter jet caused panic in Goma (North Kivu).
The North Kivu province, long plagued by insecurity and violence, has been an epicenter of intensive fighting for months between government troops and local armed groups.
