SA SOLDIER KILLED IN ATTACK ON MONUSCO HELICOPTER IN DRC

The peacekeeper died when the UN helicopter came under fire in the city of Goma in the North Kivu province on Sunday.

FILE: An armoured personnel carrier on patrol near Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo. Picture: United Nations Photo

Gladys Mutele | 06 February 2023 06:13

JOHANNESBURG - The United National peacekeeping mission in the DRC, Monusco, said it was working with local authorities to bring those responsible for a helicopter attack, which left a South African soldier dead, to book.

The peacekeeper died when the UN helicopter came under fire in the city of Goma in the North Kivu province Sunday.

The helicopter had taken off from the the city of Beni.

Another soldier, who was left injured, managed to land the helicopter safely in Goma.

Monusco conveyed its condolences to the family of the South African peacekeeper, saying attacks against the helicopter, bearing the UN emblem, constituted a war crime.

SA National Defence Force spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said they were still in the process of informing the families of the soldiers involved.

"An Oryx helicopter came under fire in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday. A crew member was fatally shot.

"Another suffered injuries but managed to continue flying the chopper and landed safely at Goma airport. The SANDF is in the process of informing family members of the soldiers who were involved in this unfortunate incident."

He said the leadership of the SANDF expressed its condolences to the family of the soldier who was killed.

"The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Thandi Modise, Deputy Minister Makwetla, acting secretary for defence, Dr Gamede, and Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya, express their heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and wish the wounded soldier a speedy recovery."