The Vietnamese Engineering Unit Rotation 2 recently rescued many vehicles on a muddy roads in the Abyei area, located in Africa, during the United Nations peacekeeping mission there.

The unit, composed of 203 officers with 19 being female, arrived at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on August 12 amid the rainy season, when prolonged heavy rains had severely deteriorated the traffic situation in the area. 

With over 95 percent of the local roads being unpaved and many routes in a state of severe disrepair, movement during this season has become impossible. 

The issue of vehicles getting stuck on the road has become a haunting ordeal for both the local population and UN personnel.

On August 15, the captain of the Vietnamese Engineering Unit Rotation 2 received a communication from the mission commander, requesting the deployment of a rescue team to assist a UN fuel convoy stuck in the mud on the road.

The Vietnamese Engineering Unit Rotation 2 tries to rescue a fuel tanker mired in mud on a road in the Abyei area, located in Africa during the United Nations peacekeeping mission, August 15, 2023. Photo: Thinh Tran / Tuoi Tre

Immediately upon receiving the order, the captain swiftly convened his command staff to discuss a rescue plan, which led to the deployment of an emergency towing team comprising of 15 soldiers, two construction vehicles, a 15-metric-ton truck, a specialized rescue vehicle, an armored protection vehicle, and a complete set of towing equipment to the scene.

The rescue team was led by the deputy captain of the Vietnamese Engineering Unit Rotation 2, Lieutenant Colonel Vu Tri Xuyen.

It took them two hours through a 40-kilometer muddy road to reach the scene, where a UN oil tanker and two trucks carrying local people were bogged down in the mud.

Vietnamese engineer soldiers encountered challenges stemming from the muddied terrain, heavy traffic, and language barriers posed by the drivers who did not speak English.

Despite that, the rescue team was unwavering in their commitment to resolving the situation, and after two hours of determined effort, they successfully extricated three stranded vehicles.

The UN fuel tanker after being rescued from mud. Photo: Thinh Tran / Tuoi Tre

On the next day, the Engineering Unit Rotation 2 continued its mission by deploying a survey team to assess the area in the southern sector. 

During the survey, the team also encountered a local resident’s pickup truck stuck in the mud, rendering it immobile.

Immediately, the command staff conferred and devised an on-the-spot towing plan using the winch on the command vehicle. 

After approximately half an hour, the team successfully pulled the pickup truck out of the mud, ensuring the road remained passable.

Speaking of the Engineering Unit Rotation 2’s first days at the mission, Lieutenant Colonel Xuyen said that upon arrival in Abyei, his unit organized a survey team to assess local roads covering a total of 44 kilometers in the northern sector and 15 kilometers in the southern sector.

Simultaneously, they devised contingency plans for establishing mobile teams, preparing equipment, and maintaining a constant state of readiness to ensure swift response in any given situation.

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