UN officials accused of spying
2006-09-05 20:59
Asmara - Eritrea's government accused on Tuesday five United Nations peacekeepers of spying, and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours.
The peacekeepers were apprehended while "deploying spy networks, recruiting mercenary agents and providing radio communication facilities", said the information ministry.
The staff members are from Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, Liberia and Trinidad and Tobago.
The UN has more than 2 000 staff patrolling a buffer zone on the Eritrean side of the disputed Eritrea-Ethiopian border.
Last month, Eritrean police arrested several UN peacekeepers for allegedly trying to smuggle people out of the country, said the information ministry.
In August 2003, there was a spate of incidents where Eritreans slipped across the border by hiding among peacekeeping personnel, sparking a UN overhaul of its security measures.
UN officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
- SAPA