Two Jordanian U.N. peacekeepers were shot dead in an ambush by gunmen in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, said reports reaching in Havana on Saturday, citing the UN envoy to Haiti.

The two soldiers were attacked near the airport while heading back to base in a vehicle late on Friday.

The incident came amid a rise in violence in Port-au-Prince where thousands of local residents demonstrated in October, demanding the withdrawal of the UN force.

They accused UN troops, who have been patrolling to quell violence in the streets of dense slums, of firing indiscriminately during gunbattles with gangsters, killing and wounding civilians.

The UN mission denied the accusation, saying they open fire only when attacked.

The U.N. peacekeeping force was deployed to the Caribbean country after a rebellion that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004. More than 10 UN peacekeepers have been killed since the deployment of the UN force in June 2004.

Source: Xinhua