U.N. Security Council Calls Emergency Meet on S. Sudan

The U.N. Security Council will hold emergency consultations on the situation in South Sudan later Monday, the French mission to the world body said.

The meeting, to begin at 5:00 pm (2200 GMT), will notably look at the possibility of reinforcing the U.N. mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday he would ask the council to consider "additional troops, police and logistical assets" for the mission, so that it can better protect civilians as violence rages.

UNMISS is currently capped at 7,000 soldiers and 900 police, and includes more than 2,000 civilians, both locals and foreigners. The Security Council must approve any increase in the numbers.

Nearly 45,000 civilians are under U.N. protection at bases in the country, notably in the capital Juba and the cities of Bor and Bentiu, Ban said.