UN chief condoles killing of peacekeepers in Congo during call with PM Modi

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday expressed his sincere condolences to the government and people of India on the killing of two Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN mission in Congo during a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel -- head constables Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi, and a peacekeeper from Morocco were killed and others injured when the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in North Kivu came under attack on July 26.

The Secretary-General expressed his sincere condolences to the government and people of India for the two police officers who had tragically lost their lives in eastern Congo, Deputy spokesperson of UN Secretary General, Farhan Haq, told PTI when asked about the telephonic conversation between Modi and Guterres.

A statement issued in New Delhi said during the conversation, both the leaders discussed the recent attack on MONUSCO in which two Indian peacekeepers were killed.

Modi urged the UN Secretary General to ensure expeditious investigations, to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice, the statement said.

Guterres offered his condolences to the families of the two slain BSF personnel, as well as to the government and the people of India. He reiterated his unequivocal condemnation of the attack against MONUSCO and assured all possible action in conducting speedy investigations.

Modi underscored India's abiding commitment to UN Peacekeeping, with more than 2,50,000 Indian peacekeepers having served under UN Peacekeeping Missions so far.

India is among the largest troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions and so far 177 Indian personnel have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in the missions, the largest by any troop-contributing country.

Modi also underscored India's unwavering support to peace and stability in the Democratic People of the Congo, where nearly 2,040 Indian soldiers are presently deployed at MONUSCO.

Hours after the attack on MONUSCO, India, currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council, had called for a meeting of the Council under Any Other Business' to discuss the situation.

A day later on July 27, the UN Security Council issued a press statement that strongly condemned the attacks and called on the Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate the attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.