United Nations: An Indian peacekeeping battalion in a volatile state of South Sudan has been awarded for its courage and devotion to duty shown while working in extremely difficult conditions. Indian battalion has been awarded for their work in the volatile Jonglei State of South Sudan. "Without the steadfastness shown by the battalion group, it would not have been possible to implement the mission mandate in the desired manner," UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Force Commander Delali Johnson Sakyi said in the state capital Bor. "I commend the group for immense courage and poise shown when under fire and in adverse operational situations," he said.
"The Indian Battalion was honoured on March 5 for their courage and devotion to duty, which brought credit to the UN military force in South Sudan," Sakyi said, according to information released by the UN Department of Public Information unit here. "The Indian soldiers have been working in extremely hostile conditions to protect civilians and provide humanitarian assistance as tensions and deadly clashes engulfed the world's newest country since December 15 when President Salva Kiir's government said soldiers loyal to former deputy president Riek Machar, dismissed in July, launched an attempted coup." Indian peacekeepers have also lost their lives while protecting civilians from attacks by rebel groups. In an attack in April last year, five Indian UNMISS peacekeepers were killed when they were ambushed by about 200 attackers near Jonglei State as they escorted a United Nations convoy.
Two UNMISS Indian Battalion troops were killed in action and one was injured on December 19 in Akobo following an assault on a UNMISS base. "The rank and file of the battalion has never hesitated to put their life on the line for the cause of peace and have done so selflessly and impartially time and again," Sakyi said. "(They) have been worthy Ambassadors of peace, (responding) to every call, challenge and situation with sincerity, fixedness of purpose and alacrity. Troops from the battalion also carried out tasks when exposed to hostile fire, he said. The battalion used land, water and air to extend its operational reach into "hostile and unchartered hinterlands". The soldiers also conducted over 150 patrols "while wading through flooded rivers and crossing thick bushes infested with various armed groups," the force commander said.
