New Delhi: In a unfortunate incident in South Sudan, three Indian peacekeepers were killed when attackers stormed a United Nations base in South Sudan where civilians had taken refuge, as violence and unrest continued unabated in the the world's newest country..
Confirming the news, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted, "Sad start to day. Bad news from UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)," he tweeted.
"Unfortunately, just this very morning such militia groups have targeted and killed three soldiers from India in South Sudan," India's Ambassador to the UN Asoke Mukerji told a UN meeting on peacekeeping on Thursday evening.
Rebels from the second-largest ethnic group, the Nuer, stormed the base in Akobo in Jonglei state, targeting civilians of the majority Dinka ethnic community. About 1500-2000 rebels attacked the base where 43 Indian peacekeepers were present along with six UN police advisers and two civilians.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said about 30 South Sudanese had sought shelter from the turmoil plaguing areas of Akobo County. The UNMISS, in a statement, strongly condemned the attack. The UN has said there were reports of more casualties but did given any further details.
The mission said it is doing everything possible to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the assault on the base and secure the safety of its personnel who remain there.
The attack comes a day after the government of South Sudan claimed that order was restored in the nation where ethnic clashes had left 500 people dead and over 800 injured. The conflict first erupted in the capital Juba but has since spread. Kiir, who is a Dinka, has blamed the violence on a group of soldiers who support Machar, a Nuer.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "deeply concerned by reports of growing violence in many parts of South Sudan, human rights abuses and killings fuelled by
ethnic tensions". However, the government insists the clashes are over power and politics, noting that both sides involved in the
clashes include leaders from different tribes.
"We condemn in strongest possible terms attempts to depict the coup as ethnic strife," a government statement said.
South Sudan has been in turmoil since President Salva Kiir accused his ex-deputy Riek Machar of mounting a coup.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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