The Bangladeshi peacekeepers deployed in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) have been highly praised for their role in ensuring public safety in the area.
Bangladesh Army’s Rapid Deployment Battalion (BANRDB)-4, deployed in the northern sector of MONUSCO has been conducting security operations against armed rebel forces since August 6, 2021 to ensure public safety, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) media statement said on Monday.
According to the ISPR statement, for the past few weeks, rebel forces have been infiltrating the Irumu territory under the Congolese province Ituri.
In order to tackle the situation, the Ituri governor requested the force commander and the northern sector commander to facilitate convoy escort for public safety.
Following the request, from August 8, the BANRDB-4 of the northern sector began operating convoy escorts on all Luna bound vehicles from Komanda and Komanda bound vehicles from Luna.
The Force Intervention Brigade continued providing necessary security on the connecting roads at the same time.
The peacekeepers from Bangladesh continued the vehicle escort operation for public safety and for providing safe passage to hundreds of civilian vehicles every day, despite the fear of ambush from armed rebels and ignoring the adverse conditions of the remote areas, the statement said.
The selfless act has largely been appreciated in both military and civilian arenas, it added.
The MONUSCO has been carrying out its mandate relating to the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and to support Congo in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts since it took over the a previous peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Organization Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) on 1 July, 2010.
Bangladesh is currently the third largest troop contributor country in MONUSCO with 1,679 troops as of April 2021.
The peacekeepers provided safe passage to hundreds of civilian vehicles every day, despite the fear of ambush from armed rebels
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