Air Force Begins Airlift of Peacekeeping Equipment to Darfur

KIGALI, Rwanda --- The U.S. Air Force has begun airlifting Rwandan peacekeeping equipment and supplies from here to Sudans Darfur region as part of a United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission.>> U.S. Army 1st Lt. Charles Jones, Headquarters Support Company, Southern European Task Force, trains about 30 Rwanda soldiers how to weigh water holding tanks as part of the African Deployment Assistance Phased Training Program, Kigali, Rwanda, Jan. 12, 2009. The tanks are part of about 150 tons of Rwandan military equipment the U.S. Air Force will airlift to the Darfur region of Sudan in support of the United Nations, Africa Union peacekeeping mission there. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Bendet>> The first mission was completed today by the Spirit of The Golden Gate, a C-17 Globemaster III transport jet deployed to Africa from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Another Travis-based C-17 flew a second mission.>> Each aircraft carried about 30 tons of cargo. In all, the Air Force will transport more than 150 tons of equipment and supplies, including nine oversized vehicles, water purification systems, water trailers, tents and spare parts.>> "This equipment is essential to the successful completion of our mission in Darfur," Maj. Jill Rutaramara, spokesman for the Rwandan Defense Forces, said. "It will assist us in whatever we do there and improve the quality of life for our soldiers deployed to Darfur.">> Rwanda has four battalions of peacekeepers in Darfur, totaling 2,566 personnel, with a goal of increasing the peacekeeping force to 3,200, Ruteramara said. The Rwandan peacekeepers are assigned to the hybrid United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur, known as UNAMID.