RDF Darfur Peacekeepers begin rotation
RDF’s Battalion 69 on its return from Darfur photo taken at Kanombe on 05th April 2012
The Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) has begun a rotation exercise of its soldiers serving under the UN-AU joint mission in Sudan’s Darfur region. The rotation occurs every after a period of nine months.
This year’s rotation began this Thursday 05th April 2012 with the arrival of 135 soldiers of Battalion 69 who just completed 9 months of service in the troubled region of Zalingei Darfur, a similar number of soldiers from Battalion 63 was air-lifted to the region in replacement.
Soldiers of Battalion 63 leaving for Darfur Peacekeeping mission on 05th April 2012 at Kanombe
The troops were seen off by the Chief of Staff Lt Gen Caesar Kayizari and several other senior officers at a function held at Kigali International Airport.
Gen Kayizari thanked the returned soldiers for the nice work done as peacekeepers in Darfur saying that they represented their country with dignity.
“We thank you for the good work and resilience you demonstrated during your duty and we are very glad to welcome you back home,†Gen Kayizari told the soldiers.
RDF Senior officers watch soldiers of Battalion 63 board airplane to Darfur, 05th April 2012
Rwanda maintains four battalions deployed under the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) comprising of over 3,200 soldiers. RDF forces have been deployed in Sudan since 2004.
