Kenya to send more troops to South Sudan

Kenyan Soldiers

By CYRUS OMBATI

Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya will send an additional 310 troops to South Sudan once a recommendation by the National Security Council (NSC) is approved by the National Assembly.

The council, which is the country’s top security organ met on Tuesday at State House under the chairmanship of President Kenyatta and approved the recommendation to boost the troops that are already there.

The recommendation for additional troops to the Kenya Battalion (Kenbatt 22) in South Sudan followed the UN Security Council Resolution of December 24 2013, a statement from State House said.

“The additional deployment is necessary to increase the current strength to 1000 troops due to the skirmishes in South Sudan amongst factions within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM),” said part of the statement.

It is the first time that it is being disclosed that there are Kenyan troops in South Sudan.

The meeting expressed expectation that the parties to the conflict will participate in talks in Addis Ababa with seriousness and in full recognition of the cost of inertia and that the monitoring and verification mechanism will actively carry out its mandate and begin reporting on violations so that humanitarian corridors can be opened.”

The security meeting chaired by President Kenyatta also expressed concern over the continued and escalating military activities in the world’s youngest nation, in total disregard and violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

African Union says talks between the South Sudanese government and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) are set to resume this week.

The AU expressed hopes that the talks, would pave the way for a broader dialogue between the two sides.

The first round of talks came to an abrupt end without any face-to-face meeting between the two sides.