All 60 members of the 23rd Chinese Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon have successfully passed the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) qualification assessment, earning dual certifications in mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) in a single attempt on Friday.
The contingent, consisting of 43 mine-clearing engineers, five EOD specialists, and 12 medical staff, underwent rigorous testing at the mine clearance site within their camp. UNMAS examiners introduced complex scenarios, including signal sources and unexploded ordnance, to challenge the peacekeepers’ skills and adherence to procedures.
Despite these challenges, the Chinese peacekeepers demonstrated exceptional expertise, passing the comprehensive assessment with ease. “We conducted rigorous and meticulous preparations following UN mine clearance standard operating procedures,” said Bu Zhenwei, company commander of the combat engineer unit. “Every soldier studied diligently and trained intensively, passing the certification process step by step.”
Bu highlighted that this achievement lays a solid foundation for their upcoming missions in Lebanon. The UN certification serves as a critical “final exam” before peacekeepers can operate in minefields. Participants undergo five days of training followed by three days of testing, covering more than 30 tasks across 10 core subjects, including detector calibration, signal source identification, mine excavation, battlefield casualty evacuation, mine destruction, and explosive ordnance inspection.
