Nairobi — The National Police Service (NPS) on Wednesday welcomed back a contingent of 11 officers who completed an 18-month peacekeeping mission in South Sudan under the United Nations.

The officers, drawn from the Kenya Police Service, the Administration Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, returned to the country on April 1 after serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

The contingent was led by Silas Kiptoo.

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"The officers were received at the National Police Service Headquarters, Jogoo House, by the Principal Assistant to the Inspector General of Police, Mathew Kutoh, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja," NPS said.

Kutoh congratulated the officers for successfully completing their deployment and praised their professionalism during the mission.

He noted that the contingent returned home without any disciplinary cases reported during their tour of duty, describing the achievement as a reflection of the officers' discipline and commitment.

"The fact that no disciplinary case was reported during their tour of duty is a credit to the Service and proof that they were excellent ambassadors for Kenya," Kutoh said.

He urged the returning officers to apply the international best practices and specialised skills acquired during the mission to strengthen policing operations at home.

Kutoh emphasised the need for officers to help transform police stations and other service areas across the country into centres of excellence.

Also present during the reception was Albert Masese, the National Police Service Staff Officer for Peace Support Operations.

Kenya has been a long-standing contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions, deploying police officers and troops to support international efforts aimed at maintaining stability and protecting civilians in conflict-affected regions.