Yei, 14 March 2017 - Members of the Chinese battalion also known as CHINBATT, serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan – UNMISS, have rescued seven civil personnel from a hotel in Yei town.

The rescue on Sunday evening came after the SPLA and members of the opposition engaged in a brief fight in Yei town on Sunday night. The fighting reportedly took place approximately 200meters from the UNMISS Temporary Operating Base in Yei.

According to Lt Col Ajay Garg, the Chief Force Public Information Officer, the Chinese peacekeepers responded promptly to the deteriorating security situation and rescued seven civil UN personnel to the Temporary Operating Base in Yei.

The seven civilians, include four UNMISS staff, and three ceasefire monitors who were held up at Seja Hotel, in Yei town.

This comes almost three weeks after, members of the UNMISS Mongolian Battalion rescued approximately 50 internally displaced persons, IDPs, from being abducted by uniformed soldiers.

The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer, praised the “robust” response and timely interventions, which all took place near a protection of civilians, or PoC, site in Bentiu.