Following a rise in incidents of violence, including cattle raiding and truck ambushes in the northern region of South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has announced plans to bolster its presence along the border with Sudan.
As part of this initiative, the peacekeeping mission is not only stepping up patrols in the area to ensure the safety of truck drivers transporting humanitarian aid, but is also working with the government to potentially establish a temporary operating base in Abiemnom County in the Ruweng Administrative Area.
“We must be wherever the need to protect civilians is most pronounced,” stated Sergeant Nyamgerel Altangerel, who recently led a multi-day Mongolian patrol team to monitor the security situation in Abiemnom and across Mayom County.
During their patrols, the peacekeepers engaged with local communities to gain insights into the prevailing security situation, and even interacted with local football coach Do Jackson in Mayom, who expressed relief at the increased presence of the peacekeeping forces in the area.
The Mongolian contingent conducts both vehicle and foot patrols, engaging with government security forces, community leaders, and other residents they encounter along the way. They also listened to concerns raised by World Food Programme truck drivers regarding the prevalence of checkpoints along the roads and the demands made by those staffing them.
With more peacekeepers and government forces on the ground, the hope is that the challenges faced by the truck drivers will be a thing of the past.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
