Feb 27, 2021(Nyamilepedia) — A group of Ghanaian peacekeepers last week helped restore peace in Jahjah village, located near Koch in the Unity region of South Sudan.
This is came after looting that led to homes and offices being ransacked and burnt to the ground, forcing the villagers to go into hiding.
“When the looting started, most of us ran to nearby areas to shelter in the bush,” stated a community member.
“We thought that the clashes would continue, but thanks to Ghanaian peacekeepers who arrived very quickly, we were able to come out of hiding and, now, many of us are beginning to resume our normal activities though we have suffered many losses,” the member continued.
According to United Nations Mission in South Sudan, 50 peacekeepers from Ghana, led by Major Kofi Safo, who had established a temporary operating base in Koch earlier this month rushed to the village and neutralized the fight that had erupted.
“The minute we received reports of the ongoing violence in Jahjah, we were able to send priority patrols at very short notice,” revealed Major Safo.
“Though the perpetrators had fled by the time our peacekeepers reached the scene, we were able to successfully prevent the situation from becoming worse or causing more harm to communities living here,” he said.
Lieutenant-General Shailesh Tinaikar, UNMISS Force Commander said that deploying peacekeepers in time made it easier for the soldiers to contain the situation.
“The area in and around Koch has been volatile of late with early warnings of possible conflict,” stated Lieutenant-General Shailesh Tinaikar, UNMISS Force Commander. “Since we were proactive in deploying our peacekeepers ahead of time, it made it much easier for us to move swiftly when we heard about the situation in Jahjah.”
Since this incident, which took place on 20 February 2021, UNMISS patrols to areas in and around Jahjah village are ongoing. The mission is also evaluating the security and humanitarian needs of those who have been affected.
