In early March, security conditions in Abiemnom County, South Sudan, deteriorated rapidly after clashes erupted between the Dinka and Nuer communities. According to local authorities, a group of armed men from Mayom County in Unity State crossed into Abiemnom and opened fire, triggering a gun battle that lasted more than three hours on March 1.
The violence resulted in severe casualties, leaving 169 people dead, including women, children, and elderly residents. In the aftermath, many families were forced to abandon their homes in search of safety. Nearly 1,000 civilians fled to a United Nations base in Abyei for refuge, while more than 50 seriously injured victims were urgently evacuated to medical facilities in Abyei and Warrap State.
Amid the escalating humanitarian crisis, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) issued an emergency order on the evening of March 2, 2026 to deploy forces to protect civilians.
Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 4 immediately activated its rapid-response team. Wearing body armor, the Vietnamese peacekeepers moved through the night toward the crisis area to carry out urgent support tasks.
Their first mission was to erect field tents at a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders near the unit’s Highway Base, enabling the facility to accommodate an influx of victims from the conflict zone. Despite the chaotic conditions following the violence, the Vietnamese blue berets worked through the night with urgency and precision. Within hours, a system of military-grade tents was erected in the hospital courtyard. By 1:30 a.m. on March 3, the temporary shelter complex had been completed, providing a safe refuge for numerous civilians who had just escaped the fighting.
At the same time, another team from the Vietnamese engineering unit was tasked with transporting heavy equipment into the conflict-affected area. Operating under potentially dangerous conditions in the dark, the engineers coordinated with other UNISFA units to receive a trailer and excavator from the mission headquarters and quickly move them to the site.
Under escort from China’s Quick Reaction Force and a Ghanaian battalion, the convoy successfully unloaded the excavator at 2:30 a.m., ensuring that critical equipment was available to support emergency response efforts on the ground.
After the sleepless night, the Vietnamese peacekeepers continued their humanitarian work by dispatching tanker trucks carrying clean water to UN refugee areas, where thousands of displaced civilians were facing acute shortages during the harsh dry season. These water deliveries—described as “lifeline convoys”—helped provide essential relief to communities struggling in the aftermath of the violence.
Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Van Cuong, Commander of Vietnam’s Engineering Company Rotation 4, said the unit always prioritizes assistance to civilians.
He emphasized that every road repaired, every container of clean water delivered, and every emergency deployment reflects the Vietnamese peacekeepers’ commitment to humanitarian service. Such actions, he noted, demonstrate the Vietnam People’s Army’s determination to contribute to global peacekeeping and humanitarian protection.
The unit’s swift and effective response has earned recognition from UNISFA leadership. Following the completion of the emergency tasks, UNISFA Force Commander Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha commended the Vietnamese peacekeepers for their professionalism and strong sense of responsibility in responding to the crisis.
