ASTANA – Lieutenant Colonel Altynbek Zhalmukhanov and Major Batyr Tuyakov have been stationed on the African continent since last year as part of the United Nations (UN) Stabilization Mission in Congo, the Kazakh Defense Ministry’s press service reported on April 6.
The UN Stabilization Mission in Congo has over 12,000 peacekeeping forces from 49 countries, including two officers from Kazakhstan. Photo credit: gov.kz
Zhalmukhanov serves as the commander of a group of military observers in Kivanja in the central sector of the mission. Under his leadership are peacekeepers from Ghana, India, Jordan, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Tunisia, and Uruguay.
He is responsible for ensuring the operational efficiency, security, and administrative well-being of the military observer team in the sector.
“I oversee the monitoring and authorization of vehicle, equipment, and warehouse usage. I am engaged in practical training for military personnel and evaluate team members’ effectiveness,” the lieutenant colonel said.
Major Tuyakov has been serving as an officer of the military observer group of the UN mission in Kitchanga since last October.
His team’s duties involve conducting daily patrols of the area and sending reports on all incidents in their responsibility zone.
“Our primary task is to protect vulnerable populations – children, women, and the elderly. International organizations operating in the region provide them with humanitarian assistance,” Tuyakov said.
The UN Stabilization Mission in Congo was established by the UN Security Council in 1999 to monitor the peace process following the end of the Second Congo War.
As of 2024, the mission has over 12,000 peacekeeping forces from 49 countries, including two officers from Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan sent its first independent peacekeeping contingent to the Golan Heights under the UN on March 15, marking a significant milestone towards peace promotion.
