Kinshasa: Indian Army on Monday thwarted attempts by certain civilian armed groups in Congo to loot its operating bases and Level III hospital there.

"The situation in the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO) had developed wherein certain civilian armed groups attempted large-scale looting of UN assets. There are reports that certain UN office complexes have been ransacked and the situation is being closely monitored," Indian Army officials told ANI.

The Indian peacekeepers have ensured the safety of UN personnel and property in locations of their deployment, they said.

The Indian Army troops deployed in MONUSCO are part of a multilateral United Nations peacekeeping force that has been contributing to the stabilisation of the strife-torn region in accordance with a UN mandate.

Earlier, the Indian Army and troops of other nationalities under the UN flag fended off an unprovoked attack by an armed group on the FARDC (Congolese Army) and the MONUSCO (United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo) positions in Congo on May 22.

Indian Army plays a lead role in United Nations Peacekeeping with its presence in eight out of 14 United Nations Missions worldwide and currently has over 5,400 military personnel deployed in challenging circumstances under the United Nations flag.

Indian Army has a large presence in United Nations Missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon, South Sudan, Golan Heights, Syria, Western Sahara, Abyei, and Cyprus. India is also deploying an infantry Battalion Group in United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

India has so far provided 15 Force Commanders, two Military Advisors, one Deputy Military Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, two Divisions Commanders, and eight Deputy Force Commanders in various United Nations Missions.