India to send more peacekeeping troops to Congo
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, July 14, IRNA
India-Congo-Peacekeeping Troops
Ahead of holding of first ever general elections in strife-torn Congo, India is rushing 700 additional troops to the country to provide security cover for the internationally- supervised polls scheduled for July 31.
A battalion-strong contingent comprising personnel from the 2nd Rajputana Rifles is being dispatched to Congo from tomorrow and was flagged off by Deputy Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen Susheel Gupta.
"The troops would provide security cover for people to vote in a free and fair manner in the trouble-torn eastern Katanga province", he said.
India already has more than brigade strength peacekeeping presence in the central African country, with an Air Force complement of helicopter gunships and ferry helicopters to quell radical groups, who are opposed to elections.
As part of their plans to disrupt elections, armed militiamen are engaged in attacking civilians, armed fights with rival groups as well as ambushing the multi-nation UN peacekeeping force in the country.
Armed militias in the conflict-prone northeastern region have remained active after the end of a war that embroiled the whole of the vast central African country between 1998 and 2003.
A number of UN peacekeepers, including Indian and Nepali, have been killed in attacks by these rebel militiamen.
In his send off message to the troops, Gupta reminded them that all Indian troops who served in the UN peacekeeping missions had returned with flying colours.
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