GAO, Mali, Aug.19 -- Recently, after completing a 10-month construction task, the 38-member Menaka detachment of the 9th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent to Mali and has returned to the Super Camp of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Gao by helicopter.
The MINUSMA peacekeeping camp in Menaka is located over 300 kilometers away from the Super Camp in Gao. In October 2021, 38 members of the 9th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent were deployed to the Menaka mission area, which was on the edge of the Sahara Desert and featured with frequent sandstorms and rampant terrorist organizations. Since its deployment in Menaka, the Chinese engineering detachment have received reports on more than 500 cases of militant attacks, and was warned of terrorist attacks almost every month.
During the past ten months staying in Ménaka, the 38-member detachment has completed more than 20 construction tasks, including the reconstruction of air defense bunkers, the upgrading and renovation of defense facilities, and the construction of shooting platforms, finished a total of 35,000 cubic meters of earthwork, leveled ground of 17,000 square meters, built more than 20 air defense bunkers for MINUSMA peacekeeping forces from other countries, and carried out maintenance of roads of more than 100 kilometers.