Chinese peacekeepers in South Sudan on one-year mission

November 19, 2019 (JUBA) – A contingent of 240 Chinese peacekeepers on Tuesday left Zhangjiakou, a city in China’s Hebei Province, for South Sudan on a one year mission.

The contingent constitutes the first batch of a 700-member peacekeeping infantry battalion dispatched by the Asian nation.

The Chinese peacekeepers will reportedly be tasked with guarding, patrolling, escorting, isolating conflicts, restoring orders, recusing as well as other security missions.

Han Tao, the Chinese battalion commander was quoted saying all members of the division have undergone a three-month training session designed on the basis of the security situations in South Sudan and have reportedly passed a test.

In September, some 163 Chinese peacekeepers who are part of the first group of a 331-strong troops arrived for a peacekeeping mission the war-torn East African nation.

China was one of the countries that recognised South Sudan’s secession from Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)