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31/08/2014

You can see pictures of the delpoyement : HERE

Ministry of Defense

Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF)  conducted a relief in place operation for the Contingent of Rwandan air force personnel serving under United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). On 31 August 2014, around 6hrs, 107 officers and men of Rwanda Air Force (RAF) under command of Lt Col Louis Kanobayire departed from Kigali International Airport to Juba. They replaced their colleagues (107) who arrived back home the same day from Juba where they served UNMISS in a period of one year.

The Air Force Chief of Staff, Brig Gen Joseph Demali urged  the Air Force personnel before departing for UNMISS Mission that they should maintain RDF good image, discipline and commitment on duty. “Maintain good image of RDF through discipline, professionalism, vigilance on security and safety of the equipment and personnel”, he said.

Addressing those coming from UNMISS Mission, the Air Force Chief of Staff said that RDF leadership received reports indicating that the Peacekeepers did good job. He advised them to use the experience gained in the Mission in their daily activities while in the Country.

Lt Col Gregoire Seshengero who was the Contingent Commander of the incoming contingent noted that the contingent conducted their mandate adequately though they operated in hostile areas. “Our mandate was to provide air support to UNMISS operations, from this mandate we added air support to protection of civilians, casualty evacuation in hostile areas because of the prevailing security situation on ground. We operated successfully in different parts of the Republic of South Sudan”, he said.

The contingent that arrived back home today left Kigali to serve in UNMISS on 25 August 2013. They were mainly operating in Juba and Bor in Jonglei State.