NPR

Why U.N. Peacekeepers' Job Has Become More Dangerous In The Past 5 Years

Last year saw the highest number of deaths of United Nations peacekeepers since 1994. Former U.N. peacekeeper Conor Foley says "the line between peacekeeping and war-fighting is getting very blurred."
Blue Helmet peacekeepers are seen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2016. According to a U.N. report, 56 U.N. peacekeepers died in 2017, the highest number of deaths since 1994.

According to the United Nations, 56 U.N. Peacekeepers died through violence in 2017. That's the highest number of fatalities since 1994 — when the U.N. sent peacekeepers to Rwanda, Somalia, Cambodia and the Balkans. The U.N. report suggested that last year's figures are not an anomaly, but rather an extended surge in deaths that began about five years ago.

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