Chinese peacekeepers have successfully cleared the main route into one of South Sudan’s more remote and dangerous regions by rescuing several stranded trucks which had blocked access for motorists and the supply of goods to isolated communities.

The troops, serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, carried out a special patrol to Mundri in the Amadi region - about 180 kilometers west of the capital Juba - via a road which has been badly damaged by torrential rain and plagued by insecurity.

The area, like much of South Sudan, has been suffering ongoing conflict since civil war erupted in December 2013 - two years after the East African nation gained its independence. This has slowed progress in developing infrastructure, including the roading network with only about 250 kilometers of tarsealed roads in a country the size of France.

The Chinese peacekeepers spent hours under the scorching sun pulling out trucks that had become trapped in mud and tipped over, including one carrying hundreds of litres of petrol and another ferrying food supplies.

Led by Lieutenant Colonel Yun Bo, Deputy Commander of the Chinese Battalion, the troops used everything from Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and steel tow cables to shovels and their bare hands to recover the trucks.

The rescue effort was welcomed by truck drivers who had been forced to spend several nights on the road, infamous for ambushes and looting by armed groups.

“Our vehicle fell over yesterday. Until today there was no one who could help us,” said one truck driver. “We are expecting help from UNMISS. We have been on the road from Rumbek for almost two months. We are tired and most of our stuff has been stolen.”

With armed bandits taking advantage of the difficult and often impassable roads, transportation of goods to the area has been minimal forcing shops in some areas to shut, depriving local communities of access to food, water and other vital supplies.

“The shops are closed because there is no access from other parts to here,” said one resident in Amadi. “To move from here to Mundri is deadly. People can be killed on the way. That is why we are afraid. So we cannot move from here to Juba or to Mundri to bring goods.” 

The UN peacekeeping mission is supporting efforts throughout South Sudan to repair and maintain roads and bridges and provides a protective presence through patrols so that humanitarian partners can access hard to reach areas which otherwise would be cut off from the lifeline of goods and services. This also enables local motorists and traders to travel safely and to transport goods to communities across the country.