UN Helicopter Crashes In Congo, 8 Peacekeepers Dead

A United Nations (UN) helicopter carrying UN peacekeepers crashed in the Democratic People's Republic of Congo on Tuesday, killing eight people on board.

"I'm deeply saddened by the death of 8 UN peacekeepers who were on board a helicopter that crashed yesterday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An investigation into the crash is now underway. I wish to express my sincere condolences to their families & loved ones," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a tweet.

Earlier, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) had said on Tuesday that it had lost contact with one of its helicopters in the east of the country.

In a later briefing, MONUSCO said that a helicopter on an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance mission crashed around 12:00, local time. The causes of the crash remain unknown and a search-and-rescue mission is under preparation, the briefing said.

MONUSCO is a UN peacekeeping operation that lists protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel, and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence, and support of the government of the DRC in its efforts to stabilize the country, among its goals. The DRC government is facing opposition from rebel groups in the eastern part of the country.

(With Inputs from ANI)

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