Bentiu Parade Honours Peacekeepers Serving in Tough Conditions

(BENTIU, Unity State) – More than 770 United Nations peacekeepers serving in South Sudan have received the UN Medal of Honour for their work protecting civilians in Unity State, a region hit by conflict, displacement and severe flooding.

A total of 776 peacekeepers, among them 100 women, from Mongolia, Pakistan and Vietnam were decorated during a medal parade in Bentiu on Tuesday.

The Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, Major General Junhui Wu, presented the medals and praised the troops for their service under very difficult conditions.

Major General Wu pointed to the violence that broke out in Abiemnhom in March this year. He commended the Mongolian Blue Helmets for moving quickly to shelter civilians who fled the fighting and sought safety at the UN base.

He said the peacekeepers took active and effective action, setting up emergency shelter for displaced families, giving urgent medical support and ensuring continuous protection for women, children and older people. The Force Commander said this is what peacekeeping in action looks like.

The Commanding Officer of the Mongolian contingent, Colonel Norov Bat-Erdene, said his troops have continued to carry out security patrols and respond quickly to new threats even while operating with fewer personnel and in a complex environment.

Major General Wu also thanked the Pakistan Military Engineering Taskforce for its vital role in shielding thousands of civilians from severe floods.

The Commanding Officer of the taskforce, Lieutenant Colonel Usman Tariq Bangash, explained that since 2020, Pakistani engineers have reinforced 15 kilometres of dykes and repaired more than 230 kilometres of roads.

This work has helped over 100,000 displaced people and residents of Bentiu town and has made it easier for humanitarians to reach those in need. He said that every rainy season, the team checks water levels and raises the dykes to keep people safe and stop breaches.

Medical peacekeepers from Vietnam were also honoured for providing life saving healthcare to both UN personnel and local communities.

Major General Wu noted that since 2018, the Vietnamese medical teams at UNMISS have delivered high quality services, treating more than 1,800 outpatients and performing essential surgeries. This work, he said, has helped build trust between communities and the Mission.

UNMISS says the work of the peacekeepers remains essential as Unity State continues to face insecurity, climate shocks and humanitarian needs,