Sudan criticized after peacekeeper killed

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GENEVA, Switzerland, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Khartoum is reminded of its obligation to protect U.N. peacekeepers working in Darfur, a mission said following the death of a South African soldier.

A South African member of the joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur was shot dead after unknown gunmen ambushed a patrol in the region.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement issued through his spokesman, called on the government to conduct a full investigation into the attack to ensure those responsible were brought to justice. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said, in a Friday statement, the patrol was in the region to investigate reports of the deaths of 70 civilians in the area last month.

"The government must promptly launch a serious investigation with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice," said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the OHCHR. "There is an urgent need to end the climate of impunity in Darfur, which encourages such attacks."

The attack in Darfur comes as leaders in Khartoum ratified a deal with South Sudan that settles some of the issues left over from the 2005 peace deal that ended Sudan's civil war.

The OHCHR said five members of the UNAMID mission were killed this month in Darfur.