UN Security Council in New York on Friday voted in favour of deployment of foreign force to Juba to protect civilians at risk and key installations in South Sudan.
The mandate of the force would boost the peace process in the country, guard SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar and other opposition groups.
The resolution increases the force of UN Mission in South Sudan from 12 to 17 thousand including four thousand ‘Regional Protection Force’ to be deployed in Juba.
John Prendergast, Enough Project Director, welcomed the vote saying, beefing up the protection of civilians in high risk areas is a crucial.
He calls for increase of the international pressures to ensure unhindered deployment of the force, humanitarian access and the implementation of the peace agreement.
The resolution reflects the decisions in the August 5 communiqu√© adopted by ‘IGAD Plus’ and several other regional actors.
The regional force is expected to include troops from Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda as Sudan and Uganda have pulled out from contributing troops for the mission.