United Nations Radio

A preliminary fact-finding investigation is underway, which will be followed by an official investigation into the ambush of a patrol from the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur - UNAMID.

Word of this comes as the mission is providing more details of Wednesday's attack which resulted in the deaths of seven UNAMID personnel.

Five of the dead are Rwandan peacekeepers and two police officers - one from Ghana and the other from Uganda.

UNAMID reports that 19 others were wounded, and not 22 as reported initially.

United Nations Spokeswoman Michele Montas says seven UNAMID vehicles were removed by the attackers, while two other vehicles were burnt and an armored personnel carrier vandalized.

"The joint UNAMID military and police patrol team was on a patrol to conduct an investigation into the killing of civilians in the area when they came under attack. The perpetrators were onboard 40 vehicles mounted with heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft weaponry and recoilless weapons."

UNAMID reports that during the attack, the team was engaged in a heavy and sustained fire, which lasted for about three hours, resulting in the loss of lives and severe injuries.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

(duration: 1'13")