Officers of the Việt Nam's Engineering Unit Rotation 4 did necessary procedures to depart from Nội Bài International Airport on September 26. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's Engineering Unit Rotation 4 departed from Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội on Friday for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

The unit comprises 184 officers and staff drawn from various forces, including the Air Defence – Air Force Service, the Navy, Military Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4, Army Corps 12, the Engineer, Commando and Signal Corps, the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations (VDPO), and several other agencies and units.

They undertook training, including engineering courses at the Engineer Corps, and English-language training for key personnel. Other courses included communications, medical support, logistics, technical work, and force protection ahead of their deployment to UNISFA. The VDPO also organised joint rehearsals to align the team’s readiness with the realities of the mission area and lessons learned from Engineering Unit Rotation 3.

Maj. Gen. Phạm Mạnh Thắng, Director of the Việt Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, bade farewell to the departing officers of the Việt Nam's Engineering Unit Rotation 4. — VNA/VNS Photo

To further enhance international peacekeeping expertise, the department coordinated with partner countries to provide advanced training for unit members. The programme covered international humanitarian law, prevention of sexual violence, explosive ordnance recognition, and specialised engineering knowledge. The training ensures the team is fully prepared to carry out tasks such as infrastructure construction, field work, and humanitarian support at UNISFA, while meeting the UN’s requirements in line with assigned functions and duties.

Speaking at the send-off ceremony, Maj. Gen. Phạm Mạnh Thắng, Director of the VDPO, said in recent years the department has closely coordinated with relevant agencies and units to select, train, and deploy forces. It has also managed and directed all Vietnamese military personnel engaged in UN peacekeeping missions, ensuring they consistently fulfill their tasks with distinction.

Officers of the Việt Nam's Engineering Unit Rotation 4 with the final farewell to their family before departing from Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo

The members of Engineering Unit Rotation 4 were carefully selected from across the army for their strong political commitment. They were thoroughly briefed on the regulations of the UN and the mission, the host country’s laws, as well as the laws of Việt Nam and the discipline of the Việt Nam People’s Army, he said.

Building on more than 11 years of Việt Nam's participation in peacekeeping activities, Thắng expressed his hope that Vietnamese peacekeeping force, and Engineering Unit Rotation 4 in particular, will remain steadfast, united and determined to overcome challenges, fulfill all assigned tasks, and continue to embody the qualities of Uncle Hồ’s soldiers while promoting the image of the Việt Nam People’s Army among international friends. — VNA/VNS