SAF contingent to join US troops in peacekeeping mission in Sinai

The mission is part of the independent peacekeeping organization Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) created by agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel in 1981 to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the 1978 Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace.

The Serbian Armed Forces will deploy a ten-member engineering working group in this mission as part of the American contingent, which will be the first joint engagement of the Serbian and the US military in peace-building and peacekeeping missions in the world, said the Defense Ministry.

SAF engineers will be in charge of engineering and infrastructure works in the mission camp in the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula. They have previously undergone specialist and tactical training adapted to the mission requirements on SAF training grounds, in order to be fully ready for implementing assigned tasks in the area of operation.

The ceremonial send-off was attended by the Chief of the SAF General Staff General Milan Mojsilovic with associates, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense Nemanja Starovic, US Ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill, and relatives and friends of SAF members who will be sent to the peacekeeping operation.

The Chief of the General Staff presented the flag of the Republic of Serbia to the commander of the engineering unit, 1st class captain Predrag Zivanovic, with the message that they should perform all assigned tasks in the peacekeeping operation with professionalism and responsibility, present SAF in a dignified way and strengthen relations with members of foreign armed forces, said the Ministry.