Ethiopian peacekeepers return home from Sudan’s Darfur
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
October 13, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) – A first batch of an Ethiopian peacekeeping force, which has been deployed in the Sudan’s troubled Darfur region, under the auspices of AU-UN hybrid operation, has arrived home on Monday after successfully accomplishing its mission, the Ministry of Defense said.
“The people and government of Ethiopia are proud of you for relentlessly and diligently accomplishing your responsibility withstanding all the hurdles of the multipart and complex nature of peace keeping mission in Darfur” said at the occasion Major General Yohannes Gebremeskel, peacekeeping section head within the ministry.
“Ethiopian peacekeepers, while in duty have managed to easily win the hearts of the brotherly people of Darfur and built up a strong spirit of mutual trust, cooperation and friendship with Darfurians” he further said.
Last July the Ethiopian infantry Battalion to UNAMID in Darfur was honored UN medals for its significant contribution in bringing relative peace, security and relief to people in Darfur within short period of deployment.
Another military official, Colonel Berhe Baraki, at the welcoming ceremony to his part said that Ethiopian forces have played outstanding role on every mission they are posted at; further indicating that country’s contribution on such missions was not the first and not the last too.
“Sudan’s mission is one of the world’s most difficult missions to handle; however our peacekeeping force has returned successfully accomplishing its assignment” he said. Adding “This has approves the force’s competency to take part in other complex African or international missions in future.”
Ethiopia’s current contribution to Darfur peacekeeping mission consists of an infantry battalion and engineering unit, as well as multi-role, reconnaissance and transport companies deployed in Graida South Darfur, El Geneina and Kulbus in West Darfur.
The Ethiopian ministry of defense said its peace force has built a permanent residential camp. The Ethiopian troops also provide transport service; conduct security patrols within their area of responsibility, to enhance security and encourage confidence within the local population, conduct escorts for humanitarian convoys and accomplish other peacekeeping related operations.
UNAMID, which has lost 14 military personnel and three civilian police as a result of hostile attacks, currently stands at almost 19,000 military and police personnel, several thousand uniformed personnel short of its authorized full deployment of 26,000.
(ST)