Moroccan Peacekeeping Soldier Accidentally Killed In DR Congo

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Moroccan peacekeeper was accidentally shot dead on Wednesday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) said on Thursday.

The soldier was accidentally shot in Butembo, North Kivu by a UN police officer who was part of the teams sent to reinforce the Moroccan contingent, the FAR said in a statement.

The accident came a day after a rebel attack against several deployment sites of the Moroccan contingent, in which one Moroccan peacekeeper was killed and 20 others were injured.

The rebel attack coincided with a violent demonstration staged by the local population against the presence of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC on Monday and Tuesday, the statement said.

The situation at all the contingent’s deployment sites is under control but still unpredictable, it added.

NAN