2,300 Army personnel to join UN peace keeping mission in South Sudan

NEW DELHI: About 2,300 Army personnel are leaving for South Sudan to join the UN peace keeping mission in the war-torn African country, the Army said today.

The Army personnel, joining the UN mission, are from Infantry battalion of Garhwal Rifles regiment.

"To support the United Nations efforts in bringing peace and normalcy in a war torn country of South Sudan, Indian Army is contributing around 2,300 personnel," Army Spokesperson Col Aman Anand said.


He said the the unit will be in operational control of the sensitive Jonglei state.

According to official figures, India is the largest cumulative troop contributor, having provided almost 200,000 troops in nearly 50 of the 71 UN peacekeeping missions over the past six decades, including 13 of the current 16 missions.

Last year, a total of 7,606 Indian peacekeepers were deployed in UN missions.