19 Serbs in UN peacekeeping missions

There are currently 19 Serbian soldiers participating in UN peacekeeping missions around the world, according to the Interior and Defense Ministries. There are 13 from the Defense Ministry and 6 officers from the Interior Ministry currently working in missions in Congo, Liberia and the Ivory Coast, while a further five officers could soon be sent to the mission in Haiti, pending UN accreditation, according to the Interior Ministry. 19 Serbs in UN peacekeeping missions Serbian police work in these missions exclusively on a volunteer basis, Interior Ministry officials told daily Danas, adding that they do not participate in EU or UN military missions. The source also said that most of the police officers from Serbia worked as instructors. As far as the Serbian soldiers are concerned, there are two doctors and four medical technicians working in the Congo mission as part of a medical team specializing in aerial evacuations. In Liberia, there are currently four officers working as military observers, together with six officials from the Interior Ministry. The mission in that country was launched in 2003. There are another three officers working as military observers in the mission to the Ivory Coast that has been active since 2004. The then Yugoslav National Army’s (JNA) largest ever contingent was dispatched after the Arab- Israeli war ended in 1956. In the period up until 1967, some 15,000 JNA soldiers were stationed on the Sinai Peninsula that separates Egypt and Israel. Smaller JNA contingents worked with the UN in Congo in 1961, and in Yemen in 1963. The JNA’s last mission before the collapse of the former Yugoslavia was to Angola in 1991.

19 Serbs in UN peacekeeping missions

Serbian police work in these missions exclusively on a volunteer basis, Interior Ministry officials told daily Danas, adding that they do not participate in EU or UN military missions. The source also said that most of the police officers from Serbia worked as instructors.

As far as the Serbian soldiers are concerned, there are two doctors and four medical technicians working in the Congo mission as part of a medical team specializing in aerial evacuations.

In Liberia, there are currently four officers working as military observers, together with six officials from the Interior Ministry. The mission in that country was launched in 2003.

There are another three officers working as military observers in the mission to the Ivory Coast that has been active since 2004.

The then Yugoslav National Army’s (JNA) largest ever contingent was dispatched after the Arab- Israeli war ended in 1956. In the period up until 1967, some 15,000 JNA soldiers were stationed on the Sinai Peninsula that separates Egypt and Israel.

Smaller JNA contingents worked with the UN in Congo in 1961, and in Yemen in 1963. The JNA’s last mission before the collapse of the former Yugoslavia was to Angola in 1991.