At least nine United Nations peacekeeping troops were killed today in the Democratic Republic of Congo after unidentified gunmen ambushed two patrols. All of the dead soldiers were from Bangladesh according to Jean-Marie Guehenno, the U.N.'s Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping.

There are presently 3,400 U.N. troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Morocco each sent a contingent of 850 soldiers to the nation that has been torn by ethnic violence in recent years. Fighting between the Lendu and Hema tribes have claimed more than 50,000 lives since 1999 according to U.N. sources.

Despite the presence of United Nations peacekeeping forces, violence continues in the region. Local aid workers have indicated that more than 70,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to clashes between local militia in the past eight weeks.