The first batch of the Regional Protection Force has arrived in Juba.

The 150 Rwandan peacekeepers arrived over the weekend as part of the 4,000 strong force authorized by the UN Security Council with the aim of improving security in Juba and its surroundings.

The RPF is mandated to protect key installations such as the airport, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and use all means to prevent attacks from any armed groups.

The Head of the UN Mission in the country, David Shearer, says the RPF will also protect users of the Juba-Bor and Juba-Nimule roads.

“The arrival of these contingents as well as the Rwandan company or peacekeepers marks the beginning of the first deployment of the RPF that will eventually number up to 4,000 troops,” Mr Shearer told the media Tuesday.

The RPF will include troops from the region and engineers from Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Regional Protection Force was supposed to be deployed before the end of last year, but the process delayed.

“The remaining Rwandan peacekeepers that are part of the main battalion will be arriving in the next few weeks and the paper work is being currently processed by the South Sudanese government,” he added.