(VOVworld) – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that the UN Security Council dispatch 5,500 soldiers and more than 400 policemen to reinforce the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and head off a possible civil war. Ban said in a letter sent to the council on Monday that the additional forces would be drawn from other UN missions in Africa. The same day, the council held an urgent meeting on South Sudan’s recently escalated conflict to make the final decision on Tuesday. 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (Photo: Reuters)

The US military on Monday deployed 150 Marines to the Horn of Africa to prepare for the evacuation of American citizens from South Sudan.

The European Committee allocated 50 million euro in emergency aid for South Sudan to prevent a humanitarian crisis there.

Egypt said it will send a special envoy to South Sudan to try to bridge the gap between the government and supporters of former Vice President Riek Machar, who recently engaged in fierce clashes with government forces. The envoy is tasked with considering humanitarian aid for local residents who have been fleeing the violence.