UK delivers military aid to Juba

A C17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft touched down in Juba on Friday morning with supplies for the 8,500 peacekeepers.

The huge jet, of 99 Squadron, flew the supplies from its base at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on a nine-hour journey to Juba.

The ceasefire was signed last week after violence between pro and anti-government forces erupted in December. South Sudan, created in July 2011, is the world’s youngest country, born out of the violence of the long-running Sudanese civil war.

Although the ceasefire is deemed to be holding there have been outbreaks of fighting in isolated areas. As a result, a ring of armed RAF Regiment gunners provided protection around the C17.

The supplies were unloaded in sweltering heat on the taxiway under the watchful eye of Air Loadmaster Sergeant Dave Parry.

He said: “It’s hard work and hot work but we all have a good feeling to be a member of the RAF involved in a task for the UN and to be helping forces working for that organisation. I am also proud to be supporting an effort that will, hopefully, help bring peace and stability to a country, especially the world’s youngest country.”

This is 99 sqn’s second operation to South Sudan. Last month one of its C17s evacuated 182 passengers, including Britons, Commonwealth and EU citizens when the fighting broke out.

At Brize Norton, Officer Commanding 99 Squadron, Wing Commander Stu Lindsell, said: “The C17 plays a vital role in this kind of strategic air mobility operation and we are very proud to be playing our part in supporting this UN task.”

The sqn has also carried out airlifts to the Central African Republic and Mali, to aid French peacekeepers, and the Philippines, carrying aid in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.
Wg Cdr Lindsell added: “All of these tasks were done in addition to our squadron’s commitment to UK operations in Afghanistan which have remained unaffected. Our crews are always ready to go wherever they are required at a moment’s notice. We are always ready to adapt.”