UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan extended for a year

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is extending the mission of the 19,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan for a year. And it is demanding an immediate end to fighting and political dialogue to advance a plan to prevent the world’s newest nation from returning to civil war. The resolution was adopted Tuesday by a vote of 13-0, with Russia and China abstaining. Both called the measure unbalanced for focusing too much on human rights. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield welcomed the mission’s strengthened mandate to protect civilians, support aid deliveries, investigate human rights abuses and support peace efforts.