New York: The UN mission in South Sudan has voiced appreciation for the critical work done at military field hospitals in the troubled nation by Indian doctors who have treated hundreds of patients during the fighting between the government and rebel forces.
At the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Indian military field hospital in the city of Malakal, 976 patients have been treated since December 23. The hospital has performed over 134 major surgeries and 29 deliveries, the UN mission said.
Deadly violence has engulfed the world`s newest country since December 15 when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir clashed with rebels supporting the sacked deputy president Riek Machar, resulting in deaths of hundreds of people.
The UN base in Malakal has been manned by Indian peacekeepers, who have been providing protection and assistance to thousands of civilians in the war-torn country.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, visited UNMISS protection of civilian sites in Juba and Malakal last month.
While in Malakal, Amos visited the looted and destroyed warehouses of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
"There are tens of thousands of people in the town who need our help. Because of the looting, we cannot help as many as we would wish," Amos said.
He expressed concern that interference in humanitarian activities were affecting humanitarians` ability to assist people in need.
An estimated 702,000 people are currently internally displaced and 123,000 refugees have fled to other countries.
Indian peacekeepers have also laid down their lives in the conflict. In April last year, five Indian UNMISS peacekeepers were killed when they were ambushed by about 200 attackers near Jonglei State as they escorted a United Nations convoy.
Two UNMISS Indian Battalion troops were killed in action and one was injured on December 19 in Akobo following an assault on a UNMISS base.
