INDIAN PEACEKEEPER KILLED IN N. KIVU

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 000965 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO CG IN SUBJECT: INDIAN PEACEKEEPER KILLED IN N. KIVU Classified By: Poloff Meghan Moore for Reasons 1.4 B and D ¶1. (U) Unidentified gunmen killed an Indian peacekeeper and wounded two others 20 miles north of Goma in North Kivu June ¶13. In the ensuing confusion, Congolese soldiers wounded 8-9 civilians. MONUC has evacuated the civilian and military casualties to a Goma hospital. ¶2. (C) MONUC Goma Head of Office told polcouns June 14 that an Indian convoy returning from Goma to Sake (a village 20 miles north of Goma) came across unidentified armed men looting a truck during the early evening of June 13. When the looters saw the convoy, they started shooting at the first truck, fatally wounding the Indian driver and seriously wounding two Indian peacekeepers who were passengers. The Indian contingent returned fire on the unidentified gunmen. At this point, details become unclear, but it appears that Congolese (FARDC) soldiers stationed at a military (FARDC) post nearby heard the exchange and started firing wildly. In the ensuing confusion, FARDC soldiers wounded 8-9 civilians. MONUC evacuated the wounded peacekeepers and the civilians to a hospital in Goma. The Indian driver died last night from his wounds. The two wounded peacekeepers are expected to survive. MEECE