8 dead after United Nations helicopter shot down by rebels in Congo

Congo's army said rebels in the country's east shot down a United Nations helicopter carrying eight peacekeepers and U.N. observers on Tuesday and the U.N. said there were no survivors.

The helicopter was carrying out reconnaissance for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo along with another helicopter when it was attacked, according to a statement from Congo's army. The U.N. peacekeepers on the helicopter were assessing the movements of communities that had been attacked by a rebel group in order to coordinate humanitarian assistance.

The M23 rebel group on Monday attacked several villages including Tchanzu, Runyonyi, Ndiza and Tchengerero, according to the statement.