UN Agrees Regional Protection Force for South Sudan

UN Security Security Council authorized a 4,000 strong regional protection force within the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), "responsible for providing a secure environment in and around Juba," the capital, which in early July was the scene of the latest eruption of deadly violence in the young country, exacerbating an already desperate humanitarian situation. 
Reiterating its grave alarm and concern at the political, security, economic, and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, the Security Council adopted, by a recorded vote of 11 in favour, with four abstentions (China, Egypt, Russian Federation and Venezuela), a new resolution extending the UN Mission until 15 December 2016, and authorizing during the same period a Regional Protection Force, which will report to the overall UNMISS Force Commander and be based in Juba, with the responsibility of providing a secure environment in and around Juba. 
The Council’s move to strengthen UNMISS comes just days before South Sudan marks the one year anniversary of an August 2015 peace accord meant to end the fighting that had erupted two years earlier, and in the wake of recent clashes between rival forces - the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing First Vice-President Riek Machar - that broke out in and around the capital, Juba, on 7 July, close to the fifth anniversary of the country's independence. 

Source : QNA