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Eight United Nations peacekeepers lost their lives today when their Puma military helicopter crashed in the troubled eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The peacekeepers were six Pakistanis, a Russian and a Serb, officials said.
“While carrying out their observation mission in Congo, the 1 Puma helicopter crashed. The cause of the accident is yet to be verified, “the Pakistani military said in a statement, adding that six of its soldiers were among those killed.
A spokesman for the UN secretary-general confirmed the serious accident and the nationalities of the victims.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, expressed “his shock and pain” in a statement, paying tribute to the efforts for global peace by the country’s armed forces.
Congolese authorities in northern Kivu said the rebel group M23 had “shot down” an aircraft, but the news was not confirmed by other sources.
The tragedy helicopter was on a reconnaissance mission in the Rutshuru area where there were clashes between Congolese forces and M23 rebels.
The conflict has caused tension between the country and its neighbor Rwanda which Congo accuses of supporting the rebels.
The claims are denied by the neighbor.
Ambassador Vincent Karega said in a comment that Rwanda does not support the M23 rebels “either politically or militarily”.
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