Security personnel to provide security in Juba during the visit of Pope Francis. (Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio).

The government has deployed 5,000 joint security personnel in Juba City ahead of Pope Francis visit to South Sudan.

The joint operation forces from the police, army and national security will be under the command of the Assistant Chief of Defense Force for Operation, Lt. General James Thoi Chany Reat.

SSPDF spokesperson, Major General Lul Ruai also said the off-duty security forces have been instructed to be on alert.

He also cautions against harassment of civilians or journalists during the papal events.

“The entire organized forces are on high alert for any additional tasks that may be required in case the numbers that we have deployed won’t to be enough,” Lul said.

“Any member of the public that has been harassed, he/she has the right to report to nearest police station.”

Addressing the assigned security personnel at the Police headquarters in Buluk before their deployment, the head of the Joint Operation tasked them to ensure maximum security during Pope Francis’s visit.

James Thoi Chany told the security operative to pay attention to members of the public who could disrupt public order including robbers, bandits and drunkards.

“This (Pope visit) is a big honor to us, I want to tell that today we have seated and we divided the roles and all the roles are different from each other and what I want from you is the discipline.”

On his part, the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Training, Lieutenant General Jackson Elia assured the citizens of their protection during the papal visit to Juba.

“All those civilians with they kids and women are coming here to get the blessing here at the ground, that means their houses are empty, that’s why that is our responsibility as security forces to protect them and their properties and we cannot allow anybody to disturb them, even if anybody try to do that we cannot allow them, and this is our duties.”

Pope Francis and his accompanying delegation will arrive in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Friday and spend two days.

During their stay, they will meet with internally displaced persons, top government officials, and their church congregations in Juba before holding a general prayer on Sunday.

The visit is also expected to be attended by regional leaders, as the government has invited President Yoweri Museveni of Ugandan, Kenya’s President William Ruto, and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.