KINSHASA, MAY 30, SPA -- THE UNITED NATIONS CALLED ON MILITIA FIGHTERS IN NORTHEAST CONGO ON TUESDAY TO FREE WITHOUT CONDITIONS SEVEN CAPTURED NEPALESE U.N. PEACEKEEPERS AND THE WORLD BODY RULED OUT ANY RANSOM PAYMENT, REPORTED REUTERS. U.N. NEGOTIATORS HAD CONTACTED THE FIGHTERS, LED BY MILITIA WARLORD PETER KARIM, WHO SEIZED THE NEPALESE TROOPS DURING FIGHTING ON SUNDAY IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO’S REMOTE AND NOTORIOUSLY VIOLENT ITURI DISTRICT, OFFICIALS SAID. THE BLUE HELMETS WERE CAPTURED TWO MONTHS BEFORE CONGO HOLDS ITS FIRST FREE ELECTIONS IN OVER FOUR DECADES ON JULY 30. THE INCIDENT SHOWS THE 17,000-STRONG U.N. PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN CONGO -- THE BIGGEST IN THE WORLD -- IS HARD-PRESSED TO PACIFY THE VAST, MINERAL-RICH CENTRAL AFRICAN STATE AS IT HEADS FOR LANDMARK POLLS AFTER YEARS OF WAR, DICTATORSHIP AND CHAOS. U.N. MISSION SPOKESMAN KEMAL SAIKI SAID U.N. OFFICIALS WERE IN "INDIRECT CONTACT" WITH THE CAPTORS OF THE NEPALESE TROOPS AND HAD SENT THEM A MESSAGE. "THEY ARE TO RELEASE THEM IMMEDIATELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY," SAIKI SAID. HE WARNED THE MILITIA, ONE OF SEVERAL ITURI GROUPS RESISTING CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RULE, THAT THEY WOULD FACE CONSEQUENCES IF ANY HARM CAME TO THE PEACEKEEPERS.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/365045