Three more Cambodian peacekeepers killed in Central Africa

All three missing Cambodian UN peacekeepers ambushed in the Central African Republic (CAR) were found dead, a Defence spokesman said here on Wednesday.

This has brought the death toll of Cambodian troops in the attack to four, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I'm sad to announce that the three missing Cambodian peacekeepers in a Monday's attack in the CAR was found dead on Tuesday about two km from the scene," Chhum Socheath, a spokesman for the Cambodian National Defence Ministry said.

In a press release on Tuesday, the UN peacekeeping mission in the CAR strongly condemned the attack by a rebel group on one of its convoys near Bangassou, about 474 km east of the capital, Bangui.

The press release said that eight peacekeepers were also injured, including one Cambodian and seven Moroccans. Besides, a Moroccan peacekeeper was still missing.

The UN mission said it would do everything possible to ensure that the perpetrators of the attack, who fled into the bush, are arrested so that they could be brought to justice.

Cambodia has sent peacekeepers to join a UN peacekeeping operation in the war-torn CAR since 2014. Currently, some 216 Cambodian peacekeepers are stationed there.--IANS

in/