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South African peacekeeper killed

Country Map - Burundi IRIN
The actions by the UN agencies are in response to pleas from local administrative officials, in two localities near Cibitoke town.
A South African soldier deployed to protect members of Burundi's government has been found strangled, news organisations have reported. One of a 701-member special protection unit for exiled leaders who returned to Burundi to take part in the new transitional government, Elvis Azwifarwi Makhado's body was found approximately six kilometres outside the capital, Bujumbura, Sapa reported on Friday. He was off duty at the time. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution unanimously in October 2001, backing the creation of a temporary international security force for Burundi. So far, only South Africa has sent troops. The battalion has orders to protect returning Burundi exiles, mainly Hutus, that are members of state institutions and the transitional government installed on 1 November 2001.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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