Dakar, Jun 24 (AP) A United Nations peacekeeper was killed during an attack by armed men in Central African Republic, the UN said on Tuesday as the Security Council expressed concerns over growing attacks against peacekeepers in the country.

A Zambian peacekeeper was killed Friday when suspected Sudanese armed groups attacked a UN peacekeeping patrol team close to the country's northern border with Sudan in the village of Am-Sissia 1, according to a statement from the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

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A second peacekeeper was injured and is undergoing medical treatment.

The victim was identified as 33-year-old Stephen Muloke Sachachoma, a member of the Zambian military with MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.

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It marked the third attack this year against the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, often carried out by armed groups vying for control and targeting security forces in conflict-hit areas.

“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern over the increasing number of attacks against peacekeepers in the Central African Republic,” said the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Central African Republic has been battling conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then President François Bozizé from office. A 2019 peace deal only partially lessened the fighting, and six of the 14 armed groups that signed it later withdrew from the agreement.

The country is among the first in Africa to welcome Russia-backed forces, with Moscow seeking to help protect authorities and fight armed groups. However, these forces have been accused of human rights violations and, in some cases, exacerbating security issues. (AP)

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