Over 300 British Troops to Beef up Peace Mission in South Sudan

Highlight

Britain has announced a future possibility of sending over 300 troops to South Sudan to beef up the ongoing African Union peacekeeping mission in the country.

United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron said British troops will provide engineering work to strengthen infrastructure as well as combat training and advisory support.

The UK troops will provide medical, logistical and engineering support and not be involved in front line combat operations.

Analysis

Britain’s move to provide support to the regional peacekeeping mission in South Sudan is a strategic move to deal with the immigration crisis already affecting the western countries.

South Sudan has been wrecked by a brutal civil war since late 2013 which has seen two million people displaced and millions more facing food shortages and other humanitarian related shortages.

The displaced persons fleeing the crisis in South Sudan have found shelter in neighboring countries in the region, choosing specifically Kenya, which hosts the biggest refugee camp in Africa. The event has crippled Kenya’s development which has now to grapple with humanitarian and security related issues in the refugee camps.

Some refugees carry with them small arms to their host countries, a situation that poses a significant security threat to the host countries. In the recent past, Kenya has had to deal with terror cells which thrive within refugee camps.

The immigration crisis is equally becoming a headache to countries in the west. That is reason enough for the global commitment to ensure that each individual finds it comfortable in their own country. The current humanitarian situation in South Sudan is worrying with the fighters targeting aid agencies who are forced to flee the war torn country.

The UK will also be deploying over 70 troops to Somalia to work alongside the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) so as to counter the Al Shabaab militants. Similarly, the troops will not be involved in any front line combat operations against the Al Shabaab.