United Nations officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have paid tribute to Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in an ambush Friday.

Dominique McAdams, head of the U.N. bureau in Congo's eastern Ituri province spoke to international soldiers Saturday at Bunia airport, where the bodies of the nine peacekeeers were to be loaded on a plane to Bangladesh.

She said the Bangladeshi peacekeepers wanted to improve the lives of ordinary Congolese and to help free them from the grip of what she called "demented" armed elements. Ms. McAdams said the U.N. mission must do its utmost to ensure that the Bangladeshis' sacrifice will not be in vain.

The United Nations accused local armed groups, which it did not name, of being behind what it said were premeditated killings.