June 05, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — On Tuesday last week the UN Security Council approved the deployment of three battalions of IGAD peacekeeping forces to South Sudan to protect teams of monitors from the region whose mission is to verify reports of violations of a temporary cease-fire.
They will also try to prevent further fighting between South Sudan government forces and forces loyal to the former Vice President Riek Machar.
The troops will be part of the existing UN mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, whose mandate now provides a focus on civilian protection.
The Security Council said last week that the 2,500 troops which will come from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda should begin deploying as soon as possible.
Getachew Reda, an adviser to Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam , said the verification process should be finalized by IGAD member countries shortly and this would be followed by the deployment of the three battalions.
The force would be commanded by an Ethiopian General and he indicated that the peacekeeping mission would also aim to enforce the May 9 truce signed by President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar in Addis Ababa on May 9.
