By Ma Yichong

KHARTOUM, Mar. 17 -- The 3rd Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit to Darfur, Sudan passed the equipment verification organized by the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) with high standard on March 15.  

This verification mainly focused on all general-purpose equipment (excluding helicopters) belonging to the unit in more than 20 categories, including weapons and ammunition, engineering machinery, vehicles, as well as the facilities used for security and fire protection, communications and navigation, medical and health, recreation and sports, etc.

During the verification, the inspectors highly appreciated the general equipment performance, maintenance level, pandemic prevention and control capabilities, barrack dismantling progress and environmental clean-up standards. They unanimously agreed to give excellent results, praising the Chinese peacekeeping unit as the benchmark among peacekeeping forces from various countries in UNAMID.

In accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2559, UNAMID operation ended on December 31, 2020. All the peacekeeping forces will gradually withdraw from Darfur within six months.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, said at a press conference on January 28, 2021, that China's 3rd peacekeeping helicopter unit to Darfur has completed its mission and been currently withdrawing in batches.