U.N. peacekeeper killed, three wounded in Sudan's Darfur

A Rwandan peacekeeper has been killed and three others wounded in a gun battle after trying to mediate a tribal dispute in Sudan's Darfur region, the African Union-UN mission said on Saturday.

"As a result of the ensuing fighting, four Rwandan peacekeepers were injured and, unfortunately, one of them died from his wounds," UNAMID said in a statement.

The incident occurred on Saturday morning in Kebkabiya, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) west of El Fasher, the North Darfur state capital.

After altercations between non-Arab Fur people from one village and an Arab militia from another community, a UNAMID team attended a mediation session in an effort to ease tensions.

"The Arab militia elements, nevertheless, became hostile towards UNAMID peacekeepers and started shooting at them, at which point the peacekeepers returned fire," the mission said.

"The fighting left an unconfirmed number of casualties among the assailants."