• Home
• /
• World

UNSC calls for swift investigation of deaths of Indian, Moroccan peacekeepers

The Council called for calm and dialogue in order to resolve current tensions and to ensure the protection of civilians

On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called on the Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate the deaths of three peacekeepers— two Indians and one Moroccan.

UNSC delivered a press statement, tabled by India and France, condemning the recent deaths of the three peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These three belonged to the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the recent attacks on the MONUSCO in North Kivu, which resulted in the three deaths, as well as injuries to other peacekeepers. They underlined that deliberate attacks targeting peacekeepers could constitute war crimes under international law.

In the statement, the UNSC called on the Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate these attacks, bring the perpetrators to justice, and to keep the relevant troop-and-police-contributing countries informed of the progress consistent with Security Council Resolution 2518 (2020).

They requested the Secretary-General for an update consistent with pars 4(a) of Security Council Resolution 2589, on measures undertaken to promote accountability for such acts.

ALSO READ:

• Two UN peacekeepers killed in 6th incident in Mali in 2 weeks

• UNSC fails to agree on plan to push Myanmar junta to peaceful solution

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and to the governments of India and Morocco. They also expressed their condolences to the United Nations, and to the civilians who lost their lives, and prayed for the speedy recovery of injured peacekeepers and civilians.

The Council called for calm and dialogue in order to resolve current tensions and to ensure the protection of civilians. They encouraged further efforts of the Congolese Government to restore law and order, as well as to conduct investigations into the underlying causes of the current tensions and to ensure accountability, read the statement.

The members of the Security Council called on all parties to cooperate fully with the MONUSCO, and to remain committed to the full and objective implementation of the Mission's mandate. The Council stressed the importance of MONUSCO having the necessary capacities to fulfil its mandate and promote— including taking additional measures wherever appropriate— the safety and security of the United Nations peacekeepers and its operations, pursuant to relevant Security Council resolutions.

They underscored that the primary responsibility for the safety and security of United Nations personnel and assets rests with host States.

They also highlighted the importance of engagements and continued communications between MONUSCO and the Congolese Government in this regard, including the efforts to proactively enhance the awareness of MONUSCO's mandate among the local population, counter false information, and to garner the trust of the local population. They reiterated their full support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Milton Keita, in this regard.