UN chief saddened to learn of death of 5 Rwandan peacekeepers

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday said that he was "saddened to learn of the death of five Rwandan peacekeepers" in the Central African Republic (CAR), and offered "his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and to the government and people of Rwanda."

Ban, in a statement issued here Saturday night, said that the five fallen UN peacekeepers were serving in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

"A full investigation into the circumstances of this incident in which eight additional peacekeepers were wounded is ongoing," the statement said,without disclosing any details on the deadly incident.

A Rwandan soldier serving under UN peacekeeping mission in the Central Africa Republic opened fire on comrades early Saturday, killing five of them and wounded eight others before killing himself, Rwanda's Defence and Military spokesperson said Saturday.