Nepali peacekeeper killed and seven inujred in Congo

Kathmandu, May 30 (UNI) One Nepali UN peacekeeper was killed and three injured while seven others were captured by the local militia fighters, in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepali Army sources said here today.

''The militia fighters are demanding a ransom for the release of the hostages,'' sources said.

''We do have seven soldiers, who are unaccounted for and we are continuing our efforts on the ground to try and determine their fate,'' Kemal Saiki, spokesman for the UN mission in Congo, was reported as saying.

The soldiers were captured during a ''cordon and search'' mission in Congo's violence-prone in Ituri district yesterday, in which Nepali Battalion of Bhairavi regiment along with the National Congolese Army exchanged fire with militia, sources said.

The three injured are being treated at the UN's Level-2 hospital in Congo and the seven Nepali abductees are safe, local media quoted Nepali army spokesman as saying.

The ''cordon and search'' mission was taking place in Dhera, 100 km north of the main regional town of Bunia.

Nepal is one of the biggest contributors of the UN peace keeping mission.

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