Six Pakistani officers and soldiers among eight United Nations peacekeepers lost their lives when a Puma helicopter crashed while undertaking a reconnaissance mission in Congo.

In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations said that exact cause of crash is yet to be ascertained.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Asif Ali Awan, Co-Pilot Major Saad Nomani, Major Faizan Ali,  flight engineer Naib subedar Samiullah Khan, the crew chief havaldar Muhammad Ismail, and gunner Muhammad Jamil. 

The statement said Pakistan always played a pivotal role as responsible member of the international community to help realize ideals of global peace and security during various UN peacekeeping missions.

An aviation mission of Pakistan was deployed in UN Mission Congo on peacekeeping duties since 2011.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain have expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of Pakistan Army officers and soldiers in a helicopter crash in Congo.

In their separate statements, they paid tribute to the armed forces of Pakistan for their services to world peace.