UN Security Council Authorizes 4,000 More Peacekeepers To South Sudan

Peacekeepers with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan

The United Nations Security Council has today passed a resolution authorizing the deployment of 4,000 more UN peacekeepers to bolster existing forces and a renewed mandate to use “all necessary means” to protect UN personnel and take “proactive” measure to protect civilians, according to ABC News.

This Security Council authorization follows weeks of insecurity in the South Sudan capital Juba and renewed violence against opposition leader Riek Machar. Mr. Machar and the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir came to a tepid peace agreement following years of civil war.

The United Nations has come under intense criticism for failing to protect civilians in South Sudan in the midst of fighting between government and opposition forces. There have been numerous documented instances of civilians being targeted by militaries and more than 2 million people displaced.

The Security Council resolution demanded that the government and opposition leaders end the fighting and implement a peace deal.

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