By Nangayi Guyson
Kampala, Uganda- Japanese Government that started contributing troops to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) five years ago has started pullout of the famine hit East African country, UNMISS Spokesman Daniel Dickinson confirmed.
The Japanese government that has been contributing a contingent of 350 GSDF to the UN mission to assist in construction of roads and other infrastructure, announced the withdrawal of its troops from UNMISS in March.
The South Sudanese government said last month that bilateral relations with Japan will remain “unshakable” after Tokyo ended the peacekeeping mission.
About 350 Japanese soldiers landed in Juba, the capital of South Sudan by mid-December last year as part of a peacekeeping unit that meant to use guns if needed to protect civilians, U.N. staff or themselves.
South Sudan has become a dangerous for peacekeepers. In July last year, when fighting broke out between troops loyal to the South Sudanese president and his rival — the former vice president — two Chinese peacekeepers were killed and U.N.-marked vehicles came under fire, including a convoy carrying senior officials from the U.S. Embassy.
The U.N. Security Council decided to send an additional 4,000 peacekeepers after clashes. South Sudan initially objected to the force and delayed its deployment. Some progress on sending the extra troops has recently been made.
About 12,000 peacekeepers from across the world are deployed in South Sudan.
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