South Sudan’s government dispatched 300 additional soldiers to the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Monday under the banner of a regional bloc.
They will be part of the regional East African force fighting the M23 rebel group.
According to Defence Minister General Chol Thon Balok, this brings the total number of South Sudan troops in the country to over 1,000.
The 300 soldiers will be stationed in Goma, the regional force’s headquarters. After a year, they will be replaced.
“You are going to protect civilians in DR Congo in the name of South Sudan and under its flag, respect every man and woman in that country,” Gen Santino Deng Wol, the chief of defense forces, told departing troops at Juba International Airport.
South Sudan is the most recent country to join the seven-nation regional force established in June last year to try to stabilize the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
