Avisheik
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Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers in Ivory Coast, a country in West Africa, have been put on high alert and have been asked to get ready for operations, as and when required.The instruction came after seven UN peacekeepers from Niger died, on Friday, in an ambush by a local terrorist group. The peacekeepers were on patrol near Ivory Coasts border with Liberia. According to the provisional death toll, seven blue helmets were killed in an ambush ... seven blue helmets from Niger, said Sylvie van den Wildenberg, spokeswoman for the mission, known by its acronym, UNOCI.
The UN said the mission had only recently increased its presence in the area, near the towns of Para and Tai, to boost efforts to protect civilians. The troops came under attack just a few kilometres from the border with Liberia.
Director of Bangladesh Army Overseas Operations Directorate, Bg Gen Salim Aktar, told The Independent that the Bangladeshi peacekeepers are safe.
The Bangladeshi blue helmets have been put on high alert, he said adding, The forces headquarters of UN asked the Bangla peacekeepers to get ready for operations, any time required.
Bg Gen Salim informed that, currently, 2,072 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are working with nine UN peacekeeping contingents in Ivory Coast.
Meanwhile, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said that he was saddened and outraged by Fridays attack.
I understand that their colleagues are still in danger. Even tonight, after the attack, more than 40 peacekeepers remain with the villagers in this remote region, to protect them from this armed group, he said.
The UN Security Council issued a statement saying it also condemned, in the strongest terms, the attack. The 15-nation council expressed its deep concern over the prevailing strife in western Ivory Coast and bordering areas, and the continued cross-border movements of armed elements, including militias and mercenaries. A total of 2,987 peacekeepers from different countries, including 109 Bangladeshi blue helmets, have been killed, so far, in UN peace keeping missions. A total of 112 peacekeepers from different countries were killed in 2011, while 34 peacekeepers were killed this year, till date, in different missions.
Currently, a total of 10,293 members of different forces, including 7,278 from Bangladesh Army, 411 from Navy, 510 from Air Force, and 2,094 from the police, are serving in 13 UN peacekeeping missions in different countries, according to sources in Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Currently, the UN operates 17 peacekeeping missions, with 120,000 peacekeepers from 116 member states
The UN said the mission had only recently increased its presence in the area, near the towns of Para and Tai, to boost efforts to protect civilians. The troops came under attack just a few kilometres from the border with Liberia.
Director of Bangladesh Army Overseas Operations Directorate, Bg Gen Salim Aktar, told The Independent that the Bangladeshi peacekeepers are safe.
The Bangladeshi blue helmets have been put on high alert, he said adding, The forces headquarters of UN asked the Bangla peacekeepers to get ready for operations, any time required.
Bg Gen Salim informed that, currently, 2,072 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are working with nine UN peacekeeping contingents in Ivory Coast.
Meanwhile, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said that he was saddened and outraged by Fridays attack.
I understand that their colleagues are still in danger. Even tonight, after the attack, more than 40 peacekeepers remain with the villagers in this remote region, to protect them from this armed group, he said.
The UN Security Council issued a statement saying it also condemned, in the strongest terms, the attack. The 15-nation council expressed its deep concern over the prevailing strife in western Ivory Coast and bordering areas, and the continued cross-border movements of armed elements, including militias and mercenaries. A total of 2,987 peacekeepers from different countries, including 109 Bangladeshi blue helmets, have been killed, so far, in UN peace keeping missions. A total of 112 peacekeepers from different countries were killed in 2011, while 34 peacekeepers were killed this year, till date, in different missions.
Currently, a total of 10,293 members of different forces, including 7,278 from Bangladesh Army, 411 from Navy, 510 from Air Force, and 2,094 from the police, are serving in 13 UN peacekeeping missions in different countries, according to sources in Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Currently, the UN operates 17 peacekeeping missions, with 120,000 peacekeepers from 116 member states
