Rwanda Defence Forces yesterday deployed two more helicopters to South Sudan as part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), bringing the number of the country’s military whirlybirds in the world’s youngest nation to eight.

The brand new UN-marked MI-17V utility and logistical support helicopters took off at exactly 7:10am, from the air force base in Kanombe. They would make a stopover at Entebbe International Airport, in Uganda, for refueling before heading to their final destination in Juba.

Rwanda previously had 119 air force personnel in South Sudan and the new deployment increases the country’s air force personnel to 225, the Defence and Military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Joseph Nzabamwita told reporters shortly after the choppers took off early yesterday.

The Russian made medium twin-turbine transport helicopters will come in handy in the peacekeeping operations as they, among others, offer logistical support, operate as air ambulances, can evacuate about 25 people at once, conduct search and rescue operations in dangerous areas, and have night vision capability, Nzabamwita said.

"These are valuable assets that the government and Rwandans are committing to help keep peace abroad. We have some in Juba and others in several other forward operating bases,” Nzabamwita said.

The choppers and personnel were seen off by Air Force chief of staff Brig. Gen. Joseph Demali, and other senior commanders.

Rwanda deployed the first aviation units – three transport helicopters with 18 crew members – to support UNMISS in 2012.

With over 5,000 peacekeepers in different UN missions, the country is currently the fifth largest troop and police contingent contributor to UN peace keeping missions.

In Africa, Rwanda is second to Ethiopia in deploying air force units and helicopters to UN missions.

UNMISS mandate extended

Meanwhile, expressing "grave alarm about further deteriorating political, security and humanitarian crisis” in South Sudan, the UN Security Council voted on Tuesday to extend the mandate of UNMISS for an additional six months, till May 30, 2015.

The Council demanded that the South Sudan government and all relevant parties cooperate fully in the deployment, operations, and monitoring, verification, and reporting functions of UNMISS, in particular, by guaranteeing the safety, security, and unrestricted freedom of movement of UN and associated personnel.

Fighting between forces loyal to South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar started in mid-December 2013 and subsequently turned into a full-fledged conflict that has sent nearly 100,000 civilians fleeing to UNMISS bases around the country.

The crisis has displaced about 1.5 million people and placed more than 7 million at risk of hunger and disease.

In an adopted resolution, the Council requested UNMISS to interact with communities in order to help the mission improve its early warning and response efforts, and called for more female police personnel in the mission.

It also reiterated the request that "UNMISS take additional measures, as appropriate, to ensure the security of its air operations in South Sudan, and report thereon to” the Security Council, possibly prompted by the downing in August of an UNMISS helicopter by unidentified assailants that led to the deaths of three crew members.

The UNMISS was established on July 9, 2011, the day when South Sudan became independent from Sudan.