3 Senegalese UN peacekeepers killed in helicopter crash in Central African Republic

Three Senegalese UN peacekeeping crew members were killed and another injured in the crash of a Mi-24 helicopter in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Friday.

Quoting Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Xinhua news agency reported that the peacekeepers were attempting an emergency landing due to bad weather near Bouar in the west of the CAR.

The helicopter was providing air support to a security operation by the UN mission against an armed group in the Nana-Mambere prefecture, Dujarric added.

"The secretary-general and the United Nations extend their heartfelt condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers, as well as to the government and people of Senegal," the spokesman said.

The surviving peacekeeper is in critical condition and was due to be evacuated to a hospital for emergency treatment, the UN mission to the country (MINUSCA) said in a statement.

UN Special Representative and Head of the Mission, Mankeur Ndiaye, said the incident "is another example of the risks that peacekeepers face in their engagement on the ground, often at risk of their lives."

MINUSCA currently has nearly 13,000 uniformed personnel serving the country's five-year-old peacekeeping mission, aiming to restore security and provide support for human rights efforts, following years of political upheaval.