UN helicopter carrying 8 shot down by rebels in Congo’s east

By CARLEY PETESCH and EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Congo’s army says rebels in the country’s east shot down a United Nations helicopter carrying 8 peacekeepers and U.N. observers and the U.N. said there were no survivors.  The helicopter was carrying out reconnaissance for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo along with another helicopter on Tuesday when it was attacked, according to a statement from Congo’s army. The U.N. peacekeepers on the helicopter were assessing the movements of communities that had been attacked by a rebel group in order to coordinate humanitarian assistance. The M23 rebel group on Monday attacked several villages, accordiing to the statement.