An Indian peacekeeper with the UN mission in Democratic Republic of Congo was shot dead on Sunday when armed men attacked government troops in the troubled eastern Goma region, the MONUC force said.

According to a UN source, a Congolese soldier and a civilian were also killed in the attack, while three troops and a second civilian were injured. "A Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) patrol was attacked by armed men. A MONUC vehicle patrol that was in the area took up position and was shot at by the assailants," MONUC spokesman Madnodje Mounoubai said.