KATHMANDU, APRIL 6

The Secretary General of the United Nations has strongly condemned an attack by suspected militia members on peacekeepers serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The attack that was carried out on Tuesday had left one Nepali peacekeeper dead.

In a statement issued by his Spokesperson on Tuesday, UN Chief António Guterres expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the fallen peacekeeper, as well as to the Government and the people of Nepal. 'Attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime,' the statement read.

The attack is believed to be carried out by the Coopérative pour le dévelopement du Congo (CODECO). It had taken place when the troops from the UN mission MONUSCO, were in Bali, Djugu territory, in Ituri province.

Guterres also called on the Congolese government to investigate the incident and bring to book those behind the act.

Likewise, the UN Security Council too delivered a rapid condemnation of the attack. The SC members expressed their deepest condolences to the family of the victim and to Nepal, and to the United Nations.

'The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms all attacks and provocations against MONUSCO. They underlined that deliberate attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. The members of the Security Council called on the Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice, and to keep the relevant troop-contributing country informed of the progress,' the Council said in a statement.