CRI听力:UN to Send More Peacekeepers to S. Sudan

The UN Security Council has approved sending more peacekeepers to South Sudan to better protect civilians from violence.

At the same time, other UN agencies are working on humanitarian relief in the country.

CRI's Li Jing has the story.

Report: The United Nations will nearly double its troop numbers in South Sudan following a call by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The resolution will also increase the U.N.'s international police contingent from 900 to over 1,300.

Ban Ki-moon calls for "maximum restraint" from all communities in the world's youngest country.

"There is no military solution for this conflict. This is a political crisis which requires a peaceful political solution."

He also urges the leaders of the country to "act for peace".

Hilde Johnson, head of the U.N. Mission in South Sudan, says the recent violence is due to a power struggle and is not an ethnic conflict.

"I want to reiterate that it is a political struggle. There may be elements who seek to exploit the current crisis to pursue their own agendas, but this is fundamentally a power struggle."

Meanwhile, the World Food Program continues its aid effort in South Sudan, providing assistance to thousands of displaced people fleeing from the violence that began earlier this month.

George Fominyen is a Public Information Officer for WFP.

"What we are providing is this CSP which is this super cereal and we are providing a very quick ration for seven days for each of the people who are receiving."

The U.N. humanitarian office says 45-thousand people have taken refuge in and around U.N. bases in the country, and 81-thousand people have fled their homes as a result of the fighting.

Violence in South Sudan began early last week.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, has said an attempted military coup triggered the violence, and the blame is placed on ousted former Vice President Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer.

Other officials have since said a fight between Dinka and Nuer presidential guards triggered the fighting.

The US has urged the two leaders to end hostilities and begin mediated political talks.

South Sudan experienced decades of war with Sudan, which it peacefully broke away from in 2011.

For CRI, this is Li Jing.