Rwanda sends last UN batch to Sudan

Dec 14, 2005 (KIGALI) — The last United Nations Mission to Sudan (UNAMIS) contingent of the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF), on Monday 12, left aboard a UN plane for a six-month peacekeeping assignment in Khartoum.

The 92 officers and men of the RDF were seen off at Kigali International Airport by the chief of general staff, Gen James Kabarebe, and other senior military officers.

Toined another batch of 162 soldiers already in the Sudan and will be charged with protecting the UNAMIS headquarters in Khartoum. They will also provide Level One medical services to other peacekeepers.

Gen Kabarebe said that the recent deployments and peacekeeping missions for the Rwandan forces are attributed to high levels of discipline and professionalism in the army.

According to the Rwandan the New Times, the RDF has said that the 254 soldiers are to stay in Khartoum for a period of six months after which they will be replaced by another group.

UNAMIS is scheduled to last for a period of six and a half years.

Rwanda has of recent sent a good number of its forces, both from the police and Army, to different missions under the African Union and the United Nations either as peacekeepers or overseers.

The RDF has over 2000 troops in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan serving under the auspices of the African Union.

(The New Time/ST)