UNSC approves 4,400 more troops for Somalia
Iran Press TV
Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:48PM GMT
The UN Security Council has approved an extra 4,400 troops to join the African force deployed in Somalia to fight anti-government militants there.
The council voted unanimously on Tuesday to allow the surge while renewing the mandate of the African Union force in Somalia, known as the AMISOM.
The maximum size of the African force will now increase from just over 17,700 to 22,126.
The additional troops are expected to start their mission in early 2014, diplomats said.
In addition, the Security Council resolution also allowed the deployment of a special guard force to protect the UN mission in Somalia, which has been hit by several bomb attacks.
AMISOM, made up of troops from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Sierra Leone and Kenya, backs Somali government forces fight against al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militants.
The UN-backed Somali troops have managed to drive the militants out of key cities over the past 18 months.
But the Ethiopian government warned on Tuesday that al-Shabab is planning more high profile attacks.
Ethiopia has said it is considering to put its own separate force in neighboring Somalia under AMISOM command.
MRS/PR
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