On 29 March 2022, a
Puma helicopter
Puma or PUMA may refer to:
Animals
* ''Puma'' (genus), a genus in the family Felidae
** Puma (species) or cougar, a large cat
Businesses and organisations
* Puma (brand), a multinational shoe and sportswear company
* Puma Energy, a mid- and ...
belonging to the
Pakistan Army's aviation division and assigned to the
(MONUSCO) crashed during a reconnaissance mission over the province of
North Kivu
North Kivu () is a Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital city is Goma. Spanning approximately 59,483 square kilometers with a population esti ...
, Democratic Republic of Congo. The crash killed all eight UN Peacekeepers on board, six from
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
and one each from Russia and
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN,
Munir Akram
Munir Akram (; born 2 December 1945) is a former Pakistani diplomat who served twice as Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations. First, he held the post from 2002 to 2008, during which time he also served two terms as Presid ...
, confirmed the identities' of the soldiers on board the helicopter.
Events
On 29 March, MONUSCO lost contact with a helicopter on a
reconnaissance mission
In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...
in eastern Congo, in the area around the village of
Tshanzu, southeast of the more regionally important town of
Rutshuru
Rutshuru is a town located in the North Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is headquarters of an administrative district, the Rutshuru Territory. The town lies in the western branch of the Albertine Rift between L ...
.
A search and rescue operation by the contingent of Uruguay recovered the bodies later that day and took them to
Goma
Goma is a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the North Kivu, North Kivu Province; it is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu and shares borders with the Bukumu Chiefdo ...
, the province's capital.
The
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Armed (May, 1941–1964) was an American Thoroughbred gelding race horse who was the American Horse of the Year in 1947 and Champion Older Male Horse in both 1946 and 1947. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame ...
said the helicopter crash was intentionally shot down by the rebel
March 23 Movement
The March 23 Movement (), often abbreviated as M23 and also known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army (), is a Congolese Rwandan-backed rebel paramilitary group. Based in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it operates ...
(M23), which had launched an
offensive
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive (military), type of military operation
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Fighting words, spoken words which would have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the ...
against the government shortly before the crash. M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma accused the Congolese government of lying, saying that the group suspected the military to be responsible.
Fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 had been going on for several days before the crash in North Kivu.
Reactions
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan (, Roman Urdu, romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Cabinet of Pakistan, cabinet, desp ...
Imran Khan
Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi (born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician, philanthropist, and former cricketer who served as the 19th prime minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022. He was the founder of the political party Pak ...
said that he was filled with a "deep sense of horror and grief," thanking the Pakistani military for their operations.
See also
*
2022 M23 offensive
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:MONUSCO helicopter crash, 2022
2022 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Aviation accidents and incidents in 2022
March 2022 in Africa
Aviation accidents and incidents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2022 in the United Nations
2020s in North Kivu
Democratic Republic of the Congo–Pakistan relations
Democratic Republic of the Congo–Serbia relations
Democratic Republic of the Congo–Russia relations
M23 campaign (2022–present)
2022 disasters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Accidents and incidents involving military helicopters
United Nations operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pakistan and the United Nations