An investigation opened by the UN over the attack on June 8 in western Cote d'Ivoire, which led to the death of seven peace keepers of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI) is still going on, UN mission has said.
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“The investigation that was launched by the UN on the attack that was carried out on June 8 against the patrol unit of the peace keepers along Tai-Para road is still going on,’’ ONUCI's spokesperson Sylvie van den Wildenberg said.
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According to Wildenberg, the investigations will involve several phases, starting with the preliminary inquiry which is being conducted by the ONUCI force with the support of other departments of the Mission.
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The ONUCI spokesperson said that the preliminary investigation was almost complete.
She added that the results of the preliminary investigation would? be given to another body which is competent to continue with the investigation.
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“The investigation commission will be comprised of members from ONUCI as well as some from the UN Headquarters in New York,’’ Wildenberg pointed out.
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Seven ONUCI peace keepers of the Nigerien contingent perished in an ambush carried out by armed men in Para village, when they were going to rescue civilian population.
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The Cote d'Ivoire government has attributed the attack to Liberian mercenaries and militias who support the country's ex- president Laurent Gbagbo.
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On Tuesday night, the Cote d'Ivoire army presented on national television, six men who included two Liberians and four Cote d'Ivoire nationals, who are suspected of having taken part in the attack on the western border with Liberia. (Xinhua/NAN)