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S. Sudan accepts deployment of regional protection force

Xinhua, September 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Sudan on Sunday agreed to the deployment of 4,000-extra regional protection force recently approved by the UN Security Council, which Juba had previously rejected.

The decision was reached during a meeting between President Salva Kiir and the UN Security Council delegation late Sunday.

"To improve the security situation, the transitional government of national unity gave its consent to the deployment as part of UNMISS of the regional protection force recently authorized by the UN Security Council resolution 2304," Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomoro said in a joint statement by the government and the Security Council.

The 4000-strong forces will join the existing 12,000 peacekeepers serving under the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Lomoro said the government would meet with the UN Security Council and troops contributing countries to discuss the modalities for the deployment.

Lomoro said the transitional government of national unity commits to devising a plan with UNMISS by the end of September on concrete steps to remove impediments to UNMISS's ability to implement its mandate, including reviewing procedures related to movement of UNMISS and streamlining bureaucratic processes.

The statement also said that Juba has agreed to implement establishment of a hybrid court to investigate atrocities committed during more than two years of conflict.

Samantha Power, U.S. Ambassador to the UN and head of the Security Council delegation, said the visit to South Sudan has been successful, urging the government to commit to its promise of ending sexual violence against girls and women.

According to UN, violence in the world's youngest nation has displaced 1.6 million people internally and other 900,000 into neighboring countries. Another 4.6 million are severely food insecure.

Fierce fighting flared again after bodyguards of president Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar clashed at the presidential palace on July 8. Enditem