THIRD BATCH OF SIERRA LEONE TROOPS RETURNS HOME Lungi, Sierra Leone, January 17, 2015 - The third batch of the Sierra Leone battalion returning from the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has also arrived this morning. The troops of 115 personnel were received at the Freetown International Airport by the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Commodore Moses Miller; the Chief of Logistics, Lieutenant Colonel Amadu Bangura; the Chief of Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Sulaiman Massaquoi; the Director of Peacekeeping Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Kemoh Sesay; and other senior officers. On Tuesday, 13th January, 2015, the first batch of the contingent (116 personnel) returned home after nearly two years in peacekeeping operations in Somalia. On Friday, 16th January, 2015, the second batch (also 116 personnel) arrived. With the fourth batch expected to arrive tomorrow, the repatriation will continue until the last batch arrives on 22nd January, 2015. In fulfillment of international obligation to global peace and security, 850 Sierra Leone peacekeepers were deployed in Somalia between April and June in 2013.The troops would have been rotated in last July but due to fear of the Ebola outbreak in the West Africa sub-region, the Somali Government rejected deployment of any peacekeepers from the Ebola affected countries. As a result of war weariness on the troops that have long over-stayed in the East Africa country, the Sierra Leone Government requested for the withdrawal of its troops. For any media inquiry on the repatriation of the Sierra Leone battalion, please contact Colonel Michael Samura (on 076 616 457) or Captain Yayah Brima (on 078 452 876). Contact: Captain Yayah Brima, Media Operations Cell, Headquarters Joint Force Command, Cockerill Barracks, Freetown.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 11:57:17 +0000
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