Mali peacekeeper’s body sent home

THE remains of Major Phoeuk Chivoan, deputy commander of Airport Engineering Squadron 729, were on March 1 prepared for traditional funeral rites by his families and leaders of the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces (NPMEC) in Trapeang Samreth village of Phnom Penh’s Dangkor district, after repatriation from Mali on the night of Feb 28.

According to the NPMEC, Chivoan was on a peacekeeping mission in the war-torn nation under the UN umbrella in the Tesalit region in Bamako, since December, 2022. He passed away on Feb 9 at the age of 42 due to a respiratory condition.