Britain Sending More Troops to Help UN Effort in South Sudan

The British military has announced that they are sending 400 more troops to South Sudan. They aim to help the United Nations in their effort to bring peace and unity to the troubled country and to help those that have been displaced.

South Sudan has been thrown into turmoil over the past three years, since the civil war in the country broke out in December of 2013.

Since the outbreak of the war, thousands of people have been killed and millions have been displaced. The UN has estimated that more than 3.5 million people have been forced to leave their homes. Of these, half have been displaced within the borders of South Sudan, while the other half have fled to neighbouring countries.

The British troops joining the UN’s mission this time around, are all made up of medics and military engineers. The military said that the engineers will help the UN workers at housing camps throughout the country and will assist in improving routes, security and drainage systems.

The British military announced in a statement on Monday that the first group of troops had arrived.

“[The first of the troops] proudly wearing their distinctive blue UN berets, arrives in Juba today [Monday] to join the United Nations Mission in South Sudan [sic],” a part of the statement read.

Of the troops traveling to South Sudan, around 80 medical troops will start working at a hospital in Bentiu.

The hospital serves civilians in the area as well as other UN troops and aid workers.

South Sudan is also facing a devastating famine at the moment. The UN has said that the famine, which was declared in February, is completely ‘man-made’ and is a direct result of the civil war.