New Delhi: A Lt Colonel and two other personnel of Indian Army on a peace mission in Congo were injured when a contingent of UN troops came under attack in Congo on Saturday.
An Indian battalion deployed in UN Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) for peacekeeping in that nation came under attack in northern Kivu province during a battle between government and rebel forces, sources said here today.
Five rockets were fired on two armoured personnel carriers belonging to the Indian troops while they were maintaining security for civilians, resulting in injuries to a Lt Col and two other personnel, they said.
Details are awaited.
In the wake of fighting between the government forces and rebels, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has issued an urgent appeal for an end to the conflict.
UN envoy in Congo Alan Doss has demanded more troops to be deployed in the region after heavy fighting between rebels and government forces in eastern Congo, close to the regional capital Goma.
Indian Army, which is the largest contributor to the 17,000-strong UN force, is expected to stop any advance by rebels, who have made significant progress in the last two days. Indian troops were asked to deploy themselves from Goma to adjoining North Kivu province, after the Uruguayan battalion deployed in the region fled.
"After the Uruguayan battalion fled, Senegalese troops were deployed there but they also refused. After their refusal, we were asked to go there," the sources said.
