Officials in Leer County say security has improved and people started moving freely and returning to their localities following the deployment of a United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Mongolian battalion (Monbatt) in the county.

Speaking at the occasion of the Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) events organized in Leer town by Monbatt, state government representative Simon Chuol Biel said “Security situation has improved significantly in the area and people feel safer when they move around. These changes happened because of the input and professionalism that Mongolian soldiers are putting in their operations.”

The SPLA-IO Commander for Thonyor and Adok areas, Brigadier General Gabriel Mavikh stated that since the Mongolian soldiers have been deployed last September “many people have been returning back to their hometowns and starting their lives again.”

He recalled that about 2-3 months ago most people were carrying guns and people didn’t feel safe in their area. Now, only soldiers are carrying their personnel weapons and people are moving freely from government-controlled areas to opposition-held ones and vise-versa. Humanitarian agencies started also operating in these areas which is extremely needed during this transitional period that people are facing right now, the area commander noted.

The CIMIC events organized in Leer, Thonyor and Adok towns meant to build confidence between UNMISS forces and local population. About 2,000 people took part in these events and another 100 received medical treatment and examination.