KIGALI, Feb. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- The first batch of the Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF), who have been on a peacekeeping mission in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan returned home by air on Friday.

    The group of 77 officers and men mandated by the African Union to protect observers in Darfur, received a warm welcome at the Kigali International Airport by jubilant RDF top brass led by Gen.James Kabarebe, the RDF Chief of General Staff, and the Chief of Staff (Infantry) Lt. Gen. Charles Kayonga among other senior officers.

    "We are here to once again recognize the pride you have done our country by representing us well during the six-months you havebeen serving your country and to welcome you back home," Gen. Kabarebe told the returning soldiers.

    Captain Fred Muziraguharara, the deputy commanding officer of the troops whose contract expired Thursday, told reporters that the only problem the RDF soldiers encountered in Darfur was climate "but as soldiers who are trained to live in every condition, we managed to survive," he said.

    Asked whether he felt satisfied about the welfare of the Sudanese, he said that it was not in their mandate to ensure the welfare of the Sudanese.

    "Our mandate was to restore security in the Darfur region of the Sudan and we have done it and even those who replaces us will continue to do the same," Muziraguharara said.

    The next batch of troops will also return in the near future while their replacements began flying out of the country on Thursday morning

    According to the AU mandate, the continental troops in Darfur ought to serve for six months and be replaced.

    Over 400 Rwandan troops have been serving on the AU peacekeeping mission and Rwanda was first country that sent her troops in Darfur, followed by Nigeria and Chad.

    Talks are currently underway for the UN to beef up the Darfur security and close to 1,000 troops have been suggested to be deployed.

    Darfur has plunged into conflict since February 2003, when two rebel forces took up arms against the Khartoum government, accusing the authorities of not protecting them from the attacks of Janjaweed militia and demanding autonomy.

    The United Nations calls the conflict in the restive region theworld's worst humanitarian crisis, in which thousands were reportedly killed and one million others displaced. Enditem