UN chief appoints new commander for South Sudan mission

UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday announced the appointment of Lt. Gen. Shailesh Tinaikar of India as the new force commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Guterres' press office said.

Lt. Gen. Tinaikar succeeds Lt. Gen. Frank Kamanzi of Rwanda.

Lt. Gen. Tinaikar has had a long and distinguished career with the Indian armed forces spanning over 34 years. From 1996 to 1997, he served in the UN Angola Verification Mission III, and from 2008 to 2009 in the UN Mission in Sudan, said the press office.