The African Union–United Nations hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID), yesterday, paid tribute to the three fallen peacekeepers – two Rwandans and a Senegalese – who died on Monday in an ambush in the volatile Sudanese region.

The UNAMID leadership paid their last respects to the fallen peacekeepers during a ceremony held at UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher, Darfur, prior to the transportation of the dead to Khartoum for "further management,” says a statement from UNAMID headquarters.

At the ceremony, UNAMID Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, called upon the present peacekeepers to work even harder to complete the work left behind by the fallen peacekeepers.

"The sacrifices of our fellow compatriots and peacekeepers must not be in vain,” Lt. Gen. Nyamvumba said.

According to the statement, the UNAMID Force Commander and Police Commissioner James Oppong-Boanuh condemned the attack in the strongest terms and called for justice in bringing the culprits to book. 

The UNAMID leadership emphasised that killing peacekeepers is a crime against humanity, according to international law, and that perpetrators should thus be answerable.

UNAMID says the peacekeepers were attacked by a "yet unknown armed group” in the vicinity of Zamzam Internally Displaced Persons camp on Monday. 

A UN team is conducting investigations to ascertain the attackers and the motive of attack.

Calling for an immediate and full investigation, earlier, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Joint Special Representative and head of UNAMID, strongly condemned the attack.

Rwanda has 3,200 peacekeepers in Darfur.

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