The Defense Minister, David Munguía Payés recognized Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte and French Ambassador Philippe Vinogradoff for their assistance in the training of the Salvadorans who are part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA by its acronym in Spanish).
The Salvadoran blue helmets contingent, at the command of Aviator Pilot Colonel Juan Aníbal Hernández Lara, will be composed by 90 Salvadoran soldiers and three H-500 MD helicopters, with their respective equipment. The contingent will have vehicles for personnel, cargo, military equipment and aeronautical services transportation, electrical generators, cooking truck, among others.
The duties of the aerial contingent of MINUSMA will include transport of personnel, escorting, patrolling and aerial reconnaissance, search and rescue missions, medical transportation and night and daytime aerial patrolling.
This first aerial contingent is composed by Salvadoran Air Force staff, Special Forces Command, Engineers Command, Transmissions Support Command, and Military Healthcare Command.
There is currently an active peace missions in Haiti and MINUSMA will be the second current activity and the fifth one to have taken place. The previous missions took place in Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan.
