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Fijian peacekeepers begin rotation for Egypt's Sinai

Xinhua, April 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Fiji's peacekeepers have begun their rotation for duty in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, the government-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) confirmed Friday.

The peacekeepers are currently in the second round of predeployment training, said Humphrey Tawake, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces' (RFMF) director of peace support operations.

Despite the escalating violence in Sinai, Fijian soldiers will stay with the Multinational and Observers Force (MFO), Tawake underscored.

"Pulling out will be very unfijian. I think when the force commander was here and the director general, the RFMF leadership gave them a guarantee that Fiji is not pulling out and they reassured Fiji's participation. Any thought of Fiji pulling out from such a mission during difficult times would be very unfijian for us," Tawake said.

"Recent tension between Egypt and Israel has been cause for concern for the MFO of which Fiji is one of the largest contingents," said the FBC.

A total of 338 Fijian peacekeepers are stationed on the Sinai border tasked with monitoring the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. Enditem