THE body of Chinese soldier Shen Liangliang on the U.N. peacekeeping mission, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Mali last month, arrived in Northeast China’s Changchun City on Thursday afternoon.

    At 3 p.m., a Chinese air force plane carrying Shen’s body arrived at Longjia Airport in Changchun, capital of Jilin Province, where Shen served in the army for 11 years.

    The plane took off Wednesday local time from Bamako, capital of Mali. It was sent by China’s Central Military Commission (CMC) to bring Shen’s body home.

    The 29-year-old sergeant first class was killed in a terrorist attack on the night of May 31 in the northern Malian town of Gao, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated at a United Nations camp.

    Another five Chinese peacekeepers were injured.

    Shen’s coffin, covered with a Chinese flag, was carried out of the plane by eight honor guards. Another honor guard who held Shen’s portrait walked in front of the coffin.

    With music played by a military band, the eight honor guards slowly put Shen’s coffin on top of a white platform, and two female soldiers laid a white wreath on it.

    About 500 officers, civilian officials and soldiers at the airport took off their hats, making three bows to salute the soldier.

    “Shen’s sacrifice showed the heroic spirit and bravery of Chinese soldiers,” Yi Xiaoguang, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of CMC, said at a simple ceremony at the airport.

    “Peace-loving people around the world will never forget, the motherland and Chinese people will never forget, and the whole army will never forget,” Yi said, calling on all servicemen to contribute to safeguarding national sovereignty and peace worldwide.

    A soldier handed over Shen’s portrait to Shen Mingming, Shen’s elder brother, and the eight honor guards again lifted the coffin, following Shen Mingming and putting the coffin into a hearse.

    Shen will be buried in his hometown in Central China’s Henan Province.

    On Tuesday, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) held a memorial service for Shen at the headquarters in the African country.

    Over 200 people participated in the service to bid farewell to the Chinese soldier.

    (Xinhua)

    including civilian and military officers of MINUSMA, representatives from Malian Government and military, employees from the Chinese Embassy in Mali, members of the Chinese military team that is investigating the process of the terrorist attack, coordinating the aftermath settlement of the casualties, guiding the Chinese peacekeeping contingent to strengthen security and defense in Mali, and Chinese peacekeeping force to Mali and staff officers.

    On the day, national flags of China and Mali and the U.N. flag were all flown at half-mast in front of the building to pay respect to the hero.

    (SD-Xinhua)