The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has started the Relief in Place Operation, or rotation of troops deployed in Malakal, South Sudan, under the United Nations Mission in the country.

According to the RDF, the first group of 128 peacekeepers from 157 Infantry Battalion left Kigali on March 10 to replace the 105 Infantry Battalion, whose first batch arrived home on the same day.

On behalf of RDF Chief of Defence Staff, Brig Gen John Bosco Rutikanga (2nd Division Commander) urged the peacekeepers going for the mission to be good ambassadors of Rwanda and exercise their duties with high discipline.

"Be always guided by RDF values and safeguard the good image of Rwanda by performing your mission with discipline,” he told the peacekeepers.

The returning group of Rwandan peacekeepers was welcomed by Col Cooper Mujuni (402 Brigade Commander), who congratulated them for having successfully concluded their tour of duty and urged them to maintain discipline in future assignments at home.

"During their one-year term in mission, the 105 Infantry Battalion successfully conducted different operations in protection of civilians including security patrols, IDPs protection, humanitarian logistics escort and different civil-military activities," reads an RDF statement.

Rwanda maintains three battalions and one aviation unit in South Sudan under the UN mission.

Rwanda is the third biggest troop-contributing country in support of UN peacekeeping operations in Darfur (UNAMID), South Sudan (UNMISS), and the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).