UNITED NATIONS: A U.N. board of inquiry says there is “a high probability” that a helicopter that crashed in South Sudan last August was hit by anti-aircraft fire, but it was not able to identify the attackers.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric summarized the findings of the internal report by the seven-member U.N. board for reporters on Friday.
The Aug. 26, 2014 crash of the U.N.-contracted helicopter near the disputed town of Bentiu in Unity state killed three Russian crewmen and wounded another. The area had seen widespread violence between rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar and government soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir.
Rebel commander Peter Gadet had threatened to shoot down U.N. aircraft, claiming they were transporting government troops which the United Nations denied. -AP