Chinese Peacekeepers Safeguard Security in Africa

An injured Chinese peacekeeper Si Chongchang receives treatment in a hospital in Senegal. A deadly attack killed one Chinese peacekeeper and injured more than 10 people in Mali on May 31, 2016. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

Two Chinese peacekeepers injured in Mali have received a visit from the Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Zhang Xun.

The two were injured during a peacekeeping mission and later transferred to Senegal due to lack of necessary treatment in Mali.

Both soldiers have undergone surgeries and are currently in stable condition.

A Chinese member of a United Nations mission in Mali was killed, and four other Chinese peacekeepers were injured in a rocket attack on Tuesday.

A special team from the Chinese military arrived in Mali on Friday to assist in the recovery work and gather information on the incident.

Meanwhile, a Chinese peacekeeping mission in Sudan has completed a mission to build fortifications for Egyptian peacekeepers in the village of Tulus, where the security situation remains fragile.

Due to its old and outdated fortifications, the Egyptian peacekeeping camp had suffered several attacks, posing serious threats to the safety of the peacekeepers stationed there.

Chinese peacekeepers were given a mission to build new fortifications for the Egyptian camp.

It took the Chinese peacekeepers three days and a trip of over 200 kilometers through mostly deserts and rebel-held areas to arrive at the Egyptian camp.

The Egyptian forces dispatched a team to guard the Chinese soldiers during the construction period, as the site was located in a conflict zone between two tribes.

The construction project has been completed three months in advance, with the joint efforts of both the Chinese and Egyptian troops.

China's participation in the United Nations peacekeeping operations started in 1990, when it sent five military observers to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East.

Among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, China is the biggest contributor to the UN's peacekeeping mission in terms of the number of personnel.

The peacekeepers, including soldiers, doctors and support services personnel, have helped to enhance security in the conflict zones of Africa and other places around the world.