Pakistani peacekeepers serving the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have been honored with UN medals for their exceptional service in protecting some 300,000 residents of Bentiu, the capital of the country’s Unity state, from catastrophic floods, according to a Mission’s press release received at UN Headquarters in New York Tuesday. Numbering 272, the Pakistani Blue-Helmets “worked tirelessly” in building and maintaining dikes that kept 5,600 square kilometers of floodwaters from engulfing the Bentiu Internally Displaced Person camp, which shelters hundreds of thousands of people, as well as the surrounding area, infrastructure, and service providers, the release said. As their missions came to an end, the Pakistani unit received a citation for outstanding performance, and 23 blue helmets were awarded the prestigious Force Commander Commendation Card.