Following hours of deadly fighting in South Sudan, Vietnamese peacekeepers moved through the night to set up shelters, transport equipment and bring water to displaced families.
Not only helping restore vital transport routes along the Banton - Agok corridor, Vietnam’s Engineering Unit No. 4 has also become a lifeline for thousands of local residents caught in the turmoil of conflict.
Vietnamese Blue Helmets move overnight into the Abyei conflict zone to assist civilians. Photo: Engineering Unit.
The unit reported that a group of armed fighters from Mayom County in Unity State crossed into the Abiemnom area of South Sudan and opened fire. The fierce ethnic conflict between the Dinka and Nuer communities lasted more than three hours and left devastating consequences, killing 169 people, including many women, children and elderly residents.
The aftermath placed immense humanitarian pressure on local authorities and the United Nations mission in South Sudan. Many residents were forced to flee their homes and escape to nearby areas, with around 1,000 civilians seeking refuge at a local UN base. Meanwhile, more than 50 severely injured victims were quickly evacuated to medical facilities in Abyei and Warrap State.
Facing a life-and-death situation, on the evening of March 2 Vietnam’s Engineering Unit No. 4 received an urgent order from the UNISFA mission to immediately carry out operations to protect civilians.
The unit’s rapid response team quickly donned protective gear and moved through the night toward the conflict hotspot.
The first task took place right next to the unit’s Highway base - swiftly erecting emergency tents at the hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Amid chaotic conditions, Vietnamese Blue Helmets worked at full speed.
Emergency tents are erected overnight to shelter survivors. Photo: Engineering Unit.
By 1:30am on March 3, rows of military tents had been firmly set up on the hospital grounds, providing safe shelter for more than 60 survivors who had narrowly escaped death.
At the same time, another task force faced an equally demanding mission: transporting heavy equipment directly into the epicenter of the conflict. Under the thick darkness of night, Vietnamese engineering troops coordinated with partner units to receive trailers and an excavator from the mission headquarters before immediately moving toward the Rumamier - Abiemnom frontline route.
After navigating roads filled with risk, under tight escort from China’s Rapid Reaction Force and a Ghanaian battalion, the Vietnamese convoy successfully unloaded the excavator at 2:30am, ensuring timely support for the mission’s emergency response.
After the exhausting overnight operation, the battle to help Abyei’s civilians was far from over. Many residents who had lost their homes and were now under UN protection in temporary shelters faced another urgent challenge - a severe shortage of water during the peak of the dry season.
Once again, Vietnam’s Engineering Unit No. 4 stepped forward to deliver a vital lifeline to the community.
Displaced civilians receive clean water and essential supplies. Photo: Engineering Unit.
Today, tankers carrying clean water from Vietnamese Blue Helmets continue traveling to UN protection sites.
Each drop of fresh water not only quenches physical thirst but also eases the fear visible in the eyes of people who have just witnessed tragic scenes of violence.
Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Van Cuong, commander of Engineering Unit No. 4, said every member of the unit was reminded that every meter of repaired road, every container of clean water delivered and every evacuation mission carried out is “an order from the heart”.
“That is the most practical way for the Vietnam People’s Army to build and safeguard peace from afar,” he said.
The professionalism and swift response of the Vietnamese unit left a strong impression on the mission. After the team successfully completed the emergency tasks overnight, UNISFA Force Commander Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha personally praised the Vietnamese peacekeepers and expressed high appreciation for their contributions.
Engineering Unit No. 4 consists of 184 personnel drawn from multiple branches of the Vietnam People’s Army, including the Air Defense - Air Force Service, the Navy, Military Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4, Army Corps 12, as well as the Engineer Corps, Special Forces, Signal Corps, the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations and other agencies and units.
The unit deployed to Abyei on September 26, 2025 to replace Engineering Unit No. 3.
Abyei is a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan. In 2011, the two countries signed an agreement committing to withdraw troops from the demilitarized zone in Abyei and establish a joint mechanism to resolve the issue, though little substantive progress has been made since.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) was established in 2011 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1990 with the mandate to protect civilians and promote demilitarization in the region.
Vietnamnet.vn
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