Abidjan, 9 December 2015... Peacekeepers from the Niger Contingent of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), on patrol on the Soubré - San Pedro road, in Bas Sassandra region, 368 km from Abidjan, in the southwest of Côte d'Ivoire, on 8 December 2015, saved the lives of motorists by beating off roadside robbers who were attacking vehicles at 10 km from San Pedro.



The roadside robbers had prevented the movement of traffic by placing a tree trunk across the road. Noticing this, the peacekeepers quickly moved towards the robbers who opened fire on their patrol. They in turn returned fire, causing the attackers to flee into the nearby forest.



The Niger Battalion patrol discovered two people who had been killed in a vehicle and two others who had been injured in a lorry. The injured were evacuated to hospital in San Pedro. Local security forces were informed of the incident and have launched an investigation. Peacekeepers were deployed to the area where the attack took place and continue to provide security there.



UNOCI's force continues to carry out its protection of civilians mission in accordance with its mandate and in support of the Ivorian security forces.