KHARTOUM, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government condemned the killing of five soldiers of the United Nations and African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), who were killed in Darfur on Friday and Saturday, the official SUNA news agency reported on Monday.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned, in a statement, the unfortunate incident which led to the killing of five UNAMID Rwandan peacekeepers, the report said.

"The incident is a criminal act and terrorist activity which targeted the international peacekeeping force in the region to suggest to the international public opinion that the security conditions in Darfur are still disturbed," the statement said.

The ministry further stated that the incident was meant to undermine the prevailing security in the region during the past period, affirming that the armed forces and security organs would pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

The ministry further expressed condolences to the Rwandan government and people and families of the dead soldiers.

Five Rwandan peacekeepers were killed in two separate attacks by unknown gunmen against UNAMID patrols in Saraf Umra and Shangel Tubaya areas in the North Darfur State in the last two days.

The incidents brought the death toll of UNAMID peacekeepers to 20 since the mission assumed its tasks in Darfur in January 2008.