The first batch comprising 232 soldiers of Pakistan Army deployed on UN peace keeping mission to Ivory Coast arrived at the Allama Iqbal International Airport here on Wednesday. On disembarking the UN chartered aircraft they were warmly received by Major General Abdul Jabbar Bhatti.
According to ISPR press release, Pakistan army contributed its troops to the United Nations Operation at Ivory Coast (UNOCI) in 2004 with a Battalion plus strength and are the major component of 6,240 strong UN peace keeping force in the strife torn African country. The arriving troops will be subsequently replace by their counterparts as part of the Relieve-Rotation plan.
The Pakistani troops were inducted in the most crucial phase of the operation. They along with their other comrades in arms from the friendly countries under the UN flag have largely contributed towards improving the General Security Environments and are actively participated in missions to Disarm and Disengage the belligerent factions engaged in five years civil strife.
They have also participated in various repatriation, rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes to restore peace and order in the unfortunate country.
The conflict in the West African Nation of Ivory Coast can be traced to the military coup that took place in 1999. Up until then, the country, the World's largest Cocoa producer, had been seen as a model of stability in the continent.
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