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