KHARTOUM, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - A Nigerian UN peacekeeper was shot and fatally wounded when dozens of gunmen ambushed a patrol in Sudan's war-torn western region of Darfur, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday.

The sergeant died on Monday when up to 60 gunmen ambushed a patrol from the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur.

His death brings to 10 the number of UN peacekeepers killed in hostile incidents since the launch of the hybrid mission on December 31.