Yesterday, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted unanimously to send an additional 5,500 peacekeepers to South Sudan to help fortify its ongoing humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts as there. The additional personnel will bring the total number of UN forces in South Sudan to 12,500 including an international police force of 1,323 policemen. The resolution increasing troops also called for the immediate end to all hostilities and for both sides to work together to solve their differences peacefully. The UNSC warned that any attacks on UN personnel or the area where they are stationed would not be tolerated.

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Fighting in South Sudan has been going for almost two weeks. It began when a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar erupted into open violence. President Kiir claimed that a coup was attempted on December 16 by forces loyal to Machar and that he had ordered the mobilization of the army to suppress all opposing forces. According to the UN, more than 80,000 people have been displaced by the fighting including nearly 41,000 people that have sought shelter and refuge from the violence in UN run refugee camps. Thousands have reportedly been killed in the violence so far.

The UN peacekeeping force includes policemen from China who have been assigned to the UN refugee compound in capital, Juba, were some of the worst fighting had taken place. Their duties include security and weapon checks, camp patrols and keeping the peace between different refugee groups. They have also been tasked with providing aid and assistance to injured refugees.