09 March 2011 - UNAMID Force Commander Lt General Patrick Nyamvumba today made an operational visit to the Mission’s  troops from Thailand stationed in Mukhjar, located 265 km southeast of El Geneina, West Darfur.

The battalion, which deployed to the area six weeks ago, marks UNAMID’s first presence in the locality. Upon their arrival, the peacekeepers built a bridge after noticing that the main route between Mukhjar and the nearby village of Garsila was difficult to access. The troops also drilled two water boreholes and are currently working on a third one. Modern agricultural pilot projects have been undertaken and will be shared with the local community.

The Thailand troops drilled two waterholes in the area. Photo by Colley Sainey.

The Force Commander expressed his appreciation for the work of the troops and met with local leaders. The Commissioner of Mukhjar, Mr. Hazim Musa Abgul Hassan, expressed his community’s gratitude and stated that “No matter what the projects are, if you have something to help our people, we will be very glad to work with you. Your way of assisting people will make the area more secure.”

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