The UN Secretary-General on Saturday strongly condemned an attack on an airfield in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR) which left one peacekeeper from Morocco dead, while his unit was attempting to secure the perimeter, APA reports citing the press service of the UN.
In a statement, the UN integrated stabilization mission in CAR, MINUSCA, said the attack at the Obo airfield near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, had taken place on Thursday morning, and that the mission had “immediately opened an investigation into the exact circumstances” surrounding the incident.
In his statement released via his Spokesperson’s Office in New York, UN chief António Guterres expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the fallen peacekeeper and to the Kingdom and people of Morocco.”
He recalled that such attacks “may constitute war crimes under international law” and called on the Government of CAR “to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of this tragedy so that they can be brought to justice swiftly.”
MINUSCA reminded that any attack on a ‘blue helmet’ was liable to prosecution by both national and international authorities.
The Security Council also issued a statement late on Friday, condemning the attack “in the strongest terms”, stressing that anybody found to be involved in the planning, direction or sponsoring of such attacks, could be sanctioned.
Council members expressed their full support for MINUSCA, and “expressed their deep appreciation” to the mission’s troop and peace-contributing nations, while also stressing the importance of the mission continuing to have the necessary capacities to carry out its mandate.
