Russia on Friday accused the UN of making “mistakes” in the Central African Republic that led to presidential guardsmen opening fire earlier this month on Egyptian peacekeepers, injuring 10.
The UN has condemned the CAR guardsmen for shooting at the newly deployed blue helmets as they travelled by bus near the presidential residence in the capital Bangui on November 1.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Friday, Russian deputy ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said leaders of the UN mission to the country, known as Minusca, were responsible for the incident.
"These tragic events were caused by mistakes that the Minusca leadership made while transporting people, among other things," she told council members in New York.
"We need to have a thorough investigation of the incident."
She also said she hoped the blue helmets "get well soon" and expressed "solidarity with them".
One woman was struck and killed by the UN-marked vehicle as it sped away from the scene.
A spokesman for President Faustin Archange Touadera said one of the bus passengers had taken photos of the building, a “forbidden” act. Guardsmen fired warning shots, some of which wounded the passengers, he added.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the shooting and demanded an investigation.
The injuries were the latest in a series of incidents to strain ties between CAR’s government and the UN mission, which has accused security forces of repeatedly violating the two sides' operating agreement.
The UN has called on the CAR government to cut ties with the Wagner group, a Russian mercenary outfit linked to the Kremlin, which is responsible for Mr Touadera’s safety.
Luis Carrilho, head of the UN police division, said on Friday that five peacekeepers remained in hospital in Bangui and one had been flown to Kampala, Uganda, for treatment.
He said the CAR government’s probe into the shooting should be “properly done”.
“We strongly condemn the incident,” he said in response to a question from The National.
“Shooting against the peacekeepers … could be considered a war crime.”
Council members renewed the mission’s mandate for one year in a vote on Friday. Russia and China abstained.
CAR, the second-poorest country in the world, according to UN figures, has been wracked by violence since the Seleka rebel coalition seized power in March 2013.
The CAR army, backed by UN peacekeepers, Russian mercenaries and Rwandan troops, have been battling the rebels in recent months.
This week, Britain’s UN envoy James Kariuki said the Egyptian casualties were a “stark reminder of the difficult circumstances in which we deploy our peacekeepers”.
He praised their “dedication and courage” and said “lessons can be learnt” from the incident.
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
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Director: Shazia Iqbal
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MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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