Ghanaian peacekeeper killed in DR Congo

A Ghanaian soldier serving with the UN Peacekeeping Force in the DR Congo has been killed.

According to a BBC news bulletin monitored by ghanabusinessnews.com Monday April 5, 2010, the soldier who has not been named was shot dead when a group of 100 unidentified insurgents overrun the UN post in the north of the DR Congo and took over the airport at Nbandaka the capital of Equateur province over the weekend.

Another Congolese also died during the attack, but his death was reported to be due to a heart attack.

Ghanaian soldiers and Police officers, including civilians have served on UN peace missions since 1960.

According to information from the UN Information Centre accessed by ghanabusinessnews.com, currently, more than 3,300 Ghanaian soldiers and police officers are serving on UN peace missions around the world. Consisting both men and women, they are serving in Afghanistan, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia, Sudan, and the Western Sahara.

Ghana provides the second largest number of women serving with the UN after India.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi