Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released a press statement on the Deaths of Four UN Peacekeepers in Abyei on August 4, 2011. Secretary Clinton said:

“The United States is deeply concerned by the deaths of four United Nations peacekeepers whose vehicles struck and detonated a land mine in the Abyei region this week, and by the Government of Sudan’s response to this incident. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the fallen, to the people of Ethiopia and to the United Nations.

“We are alarmed by reports that the Government of Sudan delayed granting the necessary flight clearances to allow the expeditious medical evacuation of the injured peacekeepers and threatened to shoot down any UN helicopter that attempted to access the area without approval. Three wounded soldiers died during this unnecessary delay. The United States is committed… more »