Indian Air Force contingent leaves for Democratic Republic of Congo

The Indian Air Force IAC-I contingent of 243 ir warriors, led by Group Captain N J S Dhillon, has embarked on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo as apart of the United Nations peacekeeping forces.

The contingent will be based at Goma adjacent to the Congo-Rwanda-Uganda border to enforce peace and in the strife-torn country and will entail support of the Mi-17 utility helicopters and Mi-25 attack helicopters.

The IAC-I comprises of five Mi-17 utility helicopters and four Mi-25 attack helicopters. The envisaged roles for the Mi-17 helicopters is observation, recce, search and rescue, casualty evacuation, logistics supply troop insertion, extraction and armed support as and when necessary. They are appropriately named Equatorial Eagles as their span of operational area straddles the equator in the ''Dark Continent''.

The attack helicopters are mainly for deterrence and may be used to provide fire support during heliborne and ground convoys. These helicopters have earned the reputation of being a force to reckon with and their quick response is effective in qualifying hostile intents invariably, the militias retreat promptly, reigning in peace and order in the area. No wonder, Mi-25s are known as ''Henshaw'' the bird that breathes fire.

The contingent will operate in a hostile environment dotted with inhospitable terrain in the north eastern part of Congo.

IAF has established a good reputation in undertaking peace keeping duties in support of the United Nations ever since it undertook its first overseas mission, coincidentally also in Congo, in 1961 when six Canberra bombers of No 5 Squadron were inducted to restore peace.

These bombers had a dramatic impact on neutralising the mercenary-run Katangan Air Force. Later, the IAF made substantial contribution to the peacekeeping effort in Somalia and Sierra Leone by undertaking peacekeeping duties. Again in 2003, the IAF was called upon by the UN to operate its attack and utility helicopters for wide-ranging operations to control the turbulence in Congo.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been afflicted by continuous strife ever since its independence in 1960. Located in Central Africa, it is a large country with a population of around 60 million with nearly 350 African ethnic groups.

The country is well endowed with natural resources including diamonds, gold and other minerals. Its people, however remain amongst the poorest in the world as the economy is in shambles. A vicious war is on for control of resources between the government and the rebel forces.

Decades of ethnic and civil wars, compounded by invasions have taken a terrible toll. With civil infrastructure and economy collapsed, no rule of law and armed groups terrorizing the country, a humanitarian crisis is prevailing in the country with millions of refugees and displaced people. The UN effort to control the situation was greatly handicapped because of the severe limitations of infrastructure - there is paucity of roads, undulating terrain carpeted with dense tropical forests is subjected to heavy rainfall, that not only slowed down road transportation but also movement of ground forces.

Under these conditions, the Indian Air Force has been tasked to shoulder the task of restoring peace and assisting La Peuple Congalis to lead life without constant fear.

The IAF contingent has dramatically enhanced the reach and effectiveness of the UN (MONUC) in the ever \ environment of the Congo. Living up to their motto "We support peace and life", the IAF contingent has consistently kept the rebel''s head down while winning the hearts and minds of the local civilian population. It is not without reason that the UN authorities have rated the Indian Aviation Contingent-I as ''The best and most exceptional in MONUC''.