The government of South Sudan on Monday dispatched additional 300 soldiers to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under the banner of a regional bloc.
They will be part of the East African regional force fighting the M23 rebel group.
It brings the total number of South Sudan troops in the country to over 1,000, according to Defence Minister General Chol Thon Balok.
The 300 soldiers will be deployed to Goma – the headquarters of the regional force. They will be replaced after a year.
“You are going in the name of South Sudan and under its flag, go and protect civilians in DR Congo, respect every man and woman of that country,” Gen Santino Deng Wol, the chief of defence forces, told the departing troops at Juba international airport.
South Sudan is the latest country to join the seven-nation regional force created in June last year to try to stabilise eastern DR Congo.