By Zang Yaqi and Sun Xuesong
JUBA, Dec. 22 -- The 350-member 2nd echelon of the 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) arrived at the mission area in Juba on December 21. This marked that all 700 troops of the 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan have arrived in the mission area and started to perform one-year peacekeeping mission.
The 350-member first echelon arrived on December 1. After medical isolation, they completed the handover of a number of materials including vehicles, weapons and ammunition, medical equipment, and logistic materials with their predecessors on December 15. The command handover ceremony was held on December 16 and the members of the first echelon officially started to perform the peacekeeping mission thereafter.
Formed mainly from the 82nd Group Army under the PLA Central Theater Command, the peacekeeping battalion includes infantry, armored, reconnaissance, and artillery, engineering and medical troops. They will perform tasks including armed patrols, cordon and search, armed escorts, and protection of civilians, and participate in medical assistance, cultural exchanges, humanitarian rescue and other UN activities.