Kerry: South Sudan agrees to deployment of regional force
US Secretary of State John Kerry said East African foreign ministers from countries including South Sudan have agreed to move ahead with the deployment of a regional peacekeeping force.
South Sudan at first rejected the regional protection force after the UN Security Council earlier this month voted to deploy the 4,000 additional peacekeepers to help restore calm. Fighting that erupted in the capital last month killed hundreds.
Kerry said Monday after the meeting there is "absolutely no question" that the force should be deployed, but did not say whenthat might happen. Kerry also announced nearly $138 million in humanitarian assistance from the United States to South Sudan, where a humanitarian crisis has worsened amid the recent turmoil.
