Newsdeck

Newsdeck

Obama orders troops to S. Sudan to protect US embassy

President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced the deployment of 47 troops to crisis-ridden South Sudan to protect the US embassy and its staff.

“Although equipped for combat, these additional personnel are deployed for the purpose of protecting US citizens and property,” Obama wrote in a letter to Congress released by the White House.

Obama also said that 130 more personnel were prepositioned in Djibouti and ready to deploy if necessary.

While US troops will not have a combat role, their presence will not go unnoticed by rival factions.

South Sudan, shepherded into existence by US cash and diplomacy in 2011, has faltered badly in its infancy, and the Obama administration has been accused of abandoning the fragile nation.

Multiple agreements and ceasefires have failed, leaving violence and human rights atrocities unchecked.

At least 272 people have been killed in the latest spasm of violence, although a fragile ceasefire has now entered into force.

At least 42,000 people have fled their homes.

During a visit to Kenya last year, Obama put his weight behind efforts for tough action against South Sudan’s warring leaders if they fail to curb the violence.

arb/sst

© 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse

Gallery

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Become a Maverick Insider

This could have been a paywall

On another site this would have been a paywall. Maverick Insider keeps our content free for all.

Become an Insider

Every seed of hope will one day sprout.

South African citizens throughout the country are standing up for our human rights. Stay informed, connected and inspired by our weekly FREE Maverick Citizen newsletter.