U.N. to send 6,000 additional troops to South Sudan

The U.S. dispatched its Marine Corps forces to South Sudan and the United Nations decided to send peacekeeping forces there. International intervention is gaining pace in South Sudan that is mired in a civil war after declaring independence from Sudan two years ago.

The U.N. Security Council held a meeting on 3 p.m. Tuesday to pass a resolution to increase 6,000 military forces and police in South Sudan. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday sent a document to the council requesting dispatch of 5,500 additional soldiers and 423 policemen to South Sudan. Ban urged immediate suspension of attack against peacekeeping forces and civilians saying the world is keeping close eyes on South Sudan.

The council held an urgent meeting after receiving the document. Member countries are examining plans to immediately dispatch some of peacekeeping forces in nearby Congo and Sudan to South Sudan, since it will take time for additional sending of soldiers there. A high-ranking council officer said the situation in South Sudan is so pressing that they can`t wait for approval by member countries` congress.

Currently, 2,000 civilians, 7,000 peacekeeping soldiers including Korea`s 280 Hanvit forces and 900 policemen are dispatched in South Sudan. When the council`s additional troop dispatch plan is passed, the number of peacekeeping forces will increase to 12,500 and police 1,300. The peacekeeping forces are likely to be sent to the Parian of key oil-producing state of Unity and Bor, capital of Jonglei State.

The U.S. announced Monday it dispatched the Marine Corps and military planes stationed in Spain on northeast of Africa. The U.S. Defense Department said certain troops were re-dispatched for the sake of security of U.S. people, adding military forces to be dispatched within and outside the South Sudan border include 150 Marine Corps soldiers, and 10 military plans including the vertical take-off and landing aircraft Osprey and C-130 transport plane. Among the forces, 45 are carrying duty as protection of official residences in South Sudan, and the remaining will wait at the U.S. military base in Djibouti in northeast Africa.

The U.K. government also sent airplanes to South Sudan to support withdrawal of British people, and dispatched special envoys to neighboring Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria. According to a high-ranking U.N. official, 3,000 foreigners live in South Sudan, including those from the U.S., the U.K. Canada and Kenya. Refugees that escaped to U.N. bases number more than 45,000.