Egyptian UN peacekeepers killed in Ivory Coast accident: Army

Egypt’s military says a number of its personnel operating with the UN mission in the Ivory Coast have been killed or injured in an accident.

Several Egyptian army personnel with a United Nations peace-keeping mission in the Ivory Coast were killed and others wounded in an accident on Tuesday, Egypt’s army has said.

An Egyptian military vehicle among the peacekeeping forces operating in the West African country overturned on Tuesday afternoon due to bad weather, killing and injuring “a number of Egyptian army soldiers,” military spokesman Mohamed Samir said in a statement early on Wednesday.

The spokesperson did not elaborate though on the death or injury toll.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Ivory Coast of almost 7,000 personnel is in charge of aiding in the implementation of a 2003 peace agreement signed between the government forces and rival former rebels which aimed to end the Ivorian civil war which began in 2002.

It comprises of personnel from country contributors including Brazil, Cameroon,  Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ireland, Jordan, Nigeria, among others.

Source: Ahram Online