Chinese Peacekeepers in MONUSCO Pull Out of Democratic Republic of Congo

Kinshasa, The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) announced that 200 Chinese peacekeepers with the UN mission in eastern DR Congo attended a departure ceremony on Tuesday as the force withdraws from the war-torn region. MONUSCO head Bintou Keita praised the Chinese, saying: "Their know-how, professionalism and discipline enabled them to overcome challenges in sometimes very difficult conditions." "Their commitment has been instrumental to promoting peace and security," in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she told the gathering at a base on Lake Kivu, close to the provincial capital Bukavu". The 15,000 MONUSCO troops deployed in the vast central African country started to leave in February at the request of the Kinshasa government, which considers them ineffective. Source: Qatar News Agency