Foreign and Military Affairs

China, US peacekeepers conduct joint patrol in Haiti

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-29 23:27

China, US peacekeepers conduct joint patrol in Haiti
Chinese peacekeeping policeman carrying out a UN mission pose for photos with US soldiers in a joint patrol in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, January 28, 2010. Appointed by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Chinese peacekeeping policemen potrolled with US soldiers together on Thursday. It was the first time that MINUSTAH appointed the US army to participate in a combined action in Haiti. [Xinhua]

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Chinese peacekeeping riot police and US troops Thursday carried out their first joint patrol in the quake-battered Haitian capital, as designated by the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

Hendre Ciprian, a Romanian police officer with MINUSTAH who coordinated the patrol, told Xinhua that the operation, the first one joined by US soldiers at MINUSTAH's invitation, was aimed at assisting Haitian police in keeping social stability and capturing criminal suspects.

A tactics team of 10 Chinese riot police and two squads from the US 82nd Airborne Division conducted the patrol.

China, US peacekeepers conduct joint patrol in Haiti
A Chinese peacekeeping policeman (Front) carrying out a UN mission potrols with US soldiers appointed by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, January 28, 2010. It was the first time that MINUSTAH appointed the US army to participate in a combined action in Haiti. [Xinhua]

The joint forces patrolled some densely populated areas in the city center including the Saint Joseph vegetable market, the Hypolite commercial area, and a neighborhood.

The forces kept guard when the Haitian special police were questioning and searching for suspects. The Haitian special police arrested one criminal suspect and brought the person to a police station for further interrogation.

China, US peacekeepers conduct joint patrol in Haiti
A Chinese peacekeeping policeman carrying out a UN mission potrols with a US soldier appointed by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, January 28, 2010. It was the first time that MINUSTAH appointed the US army to participate in a combined action in Haiti. [Xinhua]

Ciprian expressed his satisfaction over the one-and-a-half-hour joint patrol, saying MINUSTAH would carry out more similar operations to help restore order in Port-au-Prince.

Currently, nearly 130 Chinese riot police are deployed on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti as part of the 9,000-strong MINUSTAH.