Australia boosts Solomons troops

By Phil Mercer
BBC News, Sydney

Australia has vowed to track down Adam Dunning's killer

Australia is sending 100 extra troops to the Solomon Islands following the death of one of its peacekeepers.

Adam Dunning, 26, was shot twice in the back by a sniper during an overnight patrol in the capital, Honiara.

His colleagues say they are hunting a gunman armed with a high-powered military rifle.

Mr Dunning was part of an international force sent to the troubled South Pacific archipelago 18 months ago after years of ethnic unrest.

He is the first casualty in Australia's peacekeeping operation in the region.

Investigators have said they have some "fairly concrete leads" following the killing.

Australia's Justice Minister, Chris Ellison, said the murder was a shocking reminder of just how dangerous the Solomon Islands can be, despite the presence of international peacekeepers.

A rapid-response unit from Australia is being flown into the South Pacific country to bolster security and as a show of strength.

Ethnic war

The soldiers will stay indefinitely.

The government in Canberra said it would not tolerate the murder of one of its police officers.

The multi-national rescue mission to the Solomon Islands began in July 2003.

At the time this mostly-Melanesian country of 500,000 people was in chaos, overrun by armed militants who had been waging an ethnic war.

The economy had collapsed and there was a thriving trade in extortion and intimidation.

Peacekeepers have made more than 4,000 arrests and have recovered a similar number of weapons.

Australian officials have in the past described the operation as a great success.

The body of the murdered police officer is expected to be returned to Australia later on Thursday.