The United Nations announced reinforcing its peacekeepers on Saturday with more troops and critical assets including helicopters to protect civilians in South Sudan.
Secretary-General Special Representative Hilde Johnson said Security Council almost doubled the UN Mission in South Sudan or UNMISS peacekeepers to nearly 14 thousand personnel from other UN forces in DR Congo Darfur, Abyei, C√¥te d’Ivoire and Liberia.
She said the Mission was in desperate need for improved capacity and strength to be able to protect civilians in a much more proactive way.
Ms Johnson who is the head of UNMISS stressed the need for ‘unprecedented speed’ to bring in additional troops and helicopters.
She said UNMISS was investigating reports of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detentions, mistreatment, abuses and mass rapes and that all perpetrators would be held accountable.
Ms Johnson noted that UNMISS was unable to verify reports of a massacre and mass grave in Bentiu.
She called on South Sudan political leaders to urgently order their forces to lay down their arms and give peace a chance.