The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of two United Nations peacekeepers near Rutshuru in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo yesterday after their convoy came under fire. He extends his most sincere condolences to the Government and people of South Africa, and to the families of the bereaved.

The United Nations Observer Mission in the Congo (MONUC) is carrying out a full investigation into the incident, in which at least eleven other MONUC personel were injured.