South Sudan authorized roughly $7m for the special battalion to be deployed in the DR-Congo.

The government authorized roughly $7 million in funding for a special battalion of 750 troops to be deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The special budget was authorized at the request of Defense Minister Angelina Teny at the Council of Ministers meeting on Friday.

The battalion is apparently training in an unknown location before joining their colleagues in the difficult operation within an area rife with dozens of rebel organizations.

According to Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information, the cabinet has instructed the Minister of Finance and Planning to provide a special budget for the troops.

“We listened to a presentation from Minister of Defense Angelina Teny, and hers was a request for funding approval,” he stated after the meeting during a press conference.

“She sought $6,689,500 US dollars to fund these troops’ powers and obligations.”

“So she submitted a budget to the cabinet for approval, and there is no way we can escape participating since we were allocated a battalion to protect our borders,” Makuei said.

In June, the heads of East African nations agreed to send a unified regional military force to the DR Congo’s restive regions of North Kivu and Ituri.

The member nations’ combined troops will attack the M-23 rebel organization, which has destabilized eastern Congo for years.

The Heads of State also agreed that the regional troops would be commanded by the DRC’s military and administrative forces.

Minister Makuei said that it is critical that the nation meets its regional commitment by participating in the DRC mission.

“You are well aware that during the most recent East African Community Conference, it was resolved that members of the bloc should deploy soldiers in Congo.” We were allotted a battalion of 750 men. These 750 are now getting training.”