Peacekeeper killed in Darfur: UN-AU mission (AFP)

KHARTOUM (AFP) – .

A peacekeeper with the joint United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) was killed in an ambush in the western Sudanese region, a senior UNAMID official told AFP on Tuesday..

"A convoy of two 4x4s was escorting a minibus carrying two civilian members of the peace mission to El-Geneina at around 7 pm (1600 GMT Monday) when a group of six to eight armed men opened fire on them," Kemal Saiki, chief of communications for UNAMID said..

Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, is around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the border with Chad..

"Three soldiers and policemen of the mission were injured... One of the injured died," he said..

The death brought to 17 the number of peacekeepers killed since UNAMID began operations in Darfur in January 2008..

UNAMID said in a statement that it "strongly condemns" the attack..

"The Mission is appealing to the Sudanese authorities to speedily investigate this wanton incident to bring the perpetrators to justice," the statement said..

"Any attack on peacekeepers is an attack on peace itself. Targeting UN personnel can potentially have negative consequences for the peace process.".

The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million fled their homes since ethnic minority rebels in Darfur first rose up against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum in February 2003..

The government says 10,000 people have been killed..

The bus carrying the civilians, both Sudanese and foreign, was not hit by the bullets..

"We don't know if it's a villainous act, or has other motives," Saiki said..

Meanwhile, two civilian members of the peace mission who were kidnapped last month in Zalingei, West Darfur, are still being held captive..

The kidnappings marked the first abductions of UNAMID staff members, following three separate abductions of aid workers in Darfur since the International Criminal Court issued a warrant in March for the arrest of President Omar al-Beshir for alleged war crimes..

Two cases had peaceful outcomes with the foreign human rights workers freed by their captors, but two women aid workers from Ireland and Uganda seized on July 3 are still being held by gunmen demanding a ransom..

Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki were seized from the offices of the Irish aid group Goal in the North Darfur city of Kutum.

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