Colonel Mac Duc Trong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Head of Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1, conducts field reconnaissance at the site (Photo: Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations) Hanoi (VNA) – Russia’s Sputnik news agency has published an article, praising the Vietnamese sappers unit to the UN peacekeeping operations in South Sudan and their rescue mission.
According to the agency, the sappers have successfully and promptly rescued UN vehicles that were bogged down in the mud or ran off the road in Abyei, a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan, for many times.
In early May 2022, Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1 was deployed to Abyei to carry out the UN peacekeeping mission.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) assigned the engineering unit to ensure safe traffic on a 50km section of a motorway in the northern division. The section is an arterial route, connecting trade activities from the north to the south through the Amiet wholesale market.
Up to 90% of roads in Abyei are unconcretised. During the five-month rainy season, the traffic system is often gridlocked. In addition, ineffective work of previous engineer teams has caused many roads to seriously degrade. So it’s a heavy mission for the Vietnamese engineering unit.
Vietnam’s 184-member unit is responsible for surveying, maintaining, and upgrading main and backup transport routes; repairing and restoring field runways; and maintaining routes connecting bases, building helipads, inspecting and handling traffic problems, among others duties
To carry out the assigned tasks, the Vietnamese Engineering company set up two road rescue teams to support vehicles. At the same time, three mobile groups were formed, ready to repair and fix roads or vehicle problems after each rain.
Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1 prepares vehicles and machines before departure day (Photo: VNA) Sputnik quoted Major Nguyen Van Tu, deputy head of Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1, as saying that three factors are needed to complete the difficult tasks.
Firstly, there must be vehicles with high ground clearance, and strong engines to traverse muddy roads. Secondly, driving officers must be experienced who are able to assess the terrain. Lastly, the rescue team must have an armed guard group accompanying them.
The advance group of Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1 in Abyei area. (Photo:en.qdnd.vn) When an incident occurs, the team has to accessed the scene, survey the situation, develop a rescue plan, including the use of necessary towing equipment.
A standard towing team consists of 15 members, equipped with two 15-tonne trucks, one construction vehicle, one specialised rescue vehicle, and one armoured vehicle. At the same time, the team also prepares towing cables, wood and food for 7-10 days.
In the first month of deployment to UNISFA, the sapper unit carried out eight rescues with more than 30 vehicles, including those of the UN and local residents,
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Tuyen of Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 1, said.
Building trust with local people is also one of the most important tasks of the unit (Photo: Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations) In addition to rescue activities, the Vietnamese sapper unit leveled road surface. Almost degraded, and muddy road sections in the area have been repaired, ensuring smooth traffic in the area.
The UNISFA mission was established in 2011 under Security Council Resolution 1990 with the mission of protecting civilians and promoting demilitarisation in Abyei.
According to Resolution 2024 dated December 14, 2011, the mission was supplemented with the task of supporting the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) in Abyei./.
