Unamid leaders visit wounded and honour fallen peacekeepers in Nyala, South Darfur

The leadership of Unamid paid a visit to the mission’s base at Khor Abeche in South Darfur on Monday to visit the wounded, honour the fallen, and inspect the damage caused when a Unamid patrol was ambushed about 25 kilometres from the base on Saturday. The ambush left seven Tanzanian peacekeepers dead, and 17 other personnel, including two female police advisors wounded. Joint Special Representative, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, acting Force Commander, Lieutenant General Paul Ignace Mella (from Tanzania), and Police Commissioner, Hester Andriana Paneras, visited the wounded in the base hospital, joined the troops in a memorial ceremony for their fallen comrades, and gave words of encouragement to the unit.Photo series by Albert González Farran/Unamid:The damage to the bullet-proof glass of one of the patrol vehicles Action stations in the patrol vehicleUnamid leaders inspect the damage to an ambulance The entire rear window of this ambulance was lost Visiting patients, the Unamid leadership (from right to left), Police Commissioner, Hester Andriana Paneras, the acting Force Commander, Lieutenant General Paul Ignace Mella (from Tanzania), and the Joint Special Representative, Mohamed Ibn Chambas One of the injured police advisors receives a special word of encouragement from Police Commissioner Hester Andriana PanerasPeacekeepers listen to an encouraging speech by their he acting Force Commander, Lieutenant General Paul Ignace MellaPeacekeepers ‘rest on arms reversed’ in salute. The bodies of their seven fallen comrades were then loaded to be repatriated to Tanzania Related:Tanzania to seek ‘stronger mandate’ for Darfur peacekeepers (15 July 2013)UN ‘outrage’ at attack on Unamid patrol in South Darfur (14 July 2013)Seven Unamid peacekeepers killed, 17 injured in South Darfur ambush (14 July 2013)UN peacekeeping head laments ‘deterioration in security situation’ in Darfur (5 July 2013)