KINSHASA, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- UN peacekeepers killed at least 50 militiamen in a clash in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Tuesday, the UN mission said Wednesday in the capital Kinshasa.

    "The number of militia dead is now 50, maybe 60, but there may be more because they were engaged by helicopters as well," said a senior official in the UN peacekeeping operation in the DRC.

    The firefight took place on Tuesday 30 km north of Bunia, the capital of the violent Ituri province, where nine peacekeepers were killed February 25 by militia in an ambush.

    "While on operation we were fired upon, so we immediately responded,'' said Dominique Demange, spokesman for the UN peacekeeping operation in the DRC. Enditem