UN Helicopter Crashes In Congo: Eight Peacekeepers Killed, Army Blames Rebels

Illustration of a UN Peacekeeping Force helicopter in the Congo. (Wikimedia Commons/MONUSCO Photos)

JAKARTA - Eight peacekeepers were killed when a United Nations (UN) helicopter crashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday amid rebel fighting, the United Nations said.

The bodies of the peacekeepers have been taken to Goma, with an investigation underway into the cause of the crash, the United Nations said in a statement.

They include six crew members from the Pakistani military and two military personnel, one from Russia and one from Serbia, the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, said in a statement.

The Pakistani army said all eight people were killed and gave the names of the pilot and crew. Pakistan has deployed aviation units to the UN mission in Congo since 2011, he said.

The helicopter was on a reconnaissance mission when it crashed in the Tshanzu area of North Kivu province, where clashes took place this week between Congolese soldiers and a rebel group known as M23, MONUSCO said.

Meanwhile, the Congolese army said the helicopter was shot down by rebels, which an M23 spokesman denied. MONUSCO did not state the cause of the crash and said an investigation was ongoing.

The M23 group, driven from Congo after uprisings in 2012 and 2013, was chased into neighboring Uganda and Rwanda. Its fighters have since resumed attacks, including one in the same part of Congo in November.

Fierce fighting began when M23s attacked two Congolese army positions on Sunday evening. By Tuesday, the rebels had moved to Kabindi Town and were approaching the local administrative center of the area, Rutshuru Town, according to the civil society coordinator.

"If these enemies manage to repel our troops, the center of Rutshuru will fall," Jean Damascene Baziyaka told reporters.

Ugandan soldiers have also entered the battlefield, saying they killed 14 M23 fighters near the border with Congo on Tuesday.

"Tonight, they (M23) attacked us, they opened fire on the Ugandan side and several civilian houses were destroyed. Our troops responded and 14 rebels were killed, seven taken prisoner of war," said Ugandan military spokesman Brigadier Felix Kulayigye, adding one of their soldiers also died in that battle.

To note, there have been regional efforts in recent years to demobilize the M23, but its leaders have complained about the slow implementation of the peace agreement and accused the Congolese army of waging war against it.

Separately, M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma said Tuesday that the group was fighting simply to defend itself.