A peacekeeper from Bangladesh was killed on Tuesday when gunmen ambushed a humanitarian convoy on a road in South Sudan, the United Nations said.
In a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said Bangladeshi Military Liaison Officer, Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui, was killed during an armed attack on a United Nations convoy that was supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid to vulnerable civilians in the Central Equatorian region.
“Bangladeshi Military Liaison Officer, Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui, was part of a convoy led by Nepalese peacekeepers providing protection to humanitarian workers travelling from Yei to Lasu when several shots were fired at the group by unknown gunmen,” partly reads the statement.
“Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui was hit and died from his injuries shortly afterwards,” adds the statement.
The mission pointed out that Nepalese peacekeepers immediately returned fire and the assailants retreated into the forest.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in South Sudan, David Shearer, expressed his deep regret at the tragic loss of life and condemned the actions of the armed group.
“I would like to express my sincere sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of our fellow peacekeeper, Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui, who was killed today,” said David Shearer.
“It is a tragedy that he lost his life in such an appalling act of violence while working to help those in need and to protect the lives of others.”
There was no immediate comment from both the government and the opposition.