UN peacekeepers at Juba International Airport in 2014 | Photo | UN

Five British peacekeepers have arrived in the country as part of 400 others expected to join the mission, the UN Mission in South Sudan has announced.

The mission says the five are engineers, who will do ground work for the remaining 390 who are yet to arrive.

The peacekeepers from Britain will be divided into two engineer teams: those to strengthen infrastructure and advisors.

In a telephone interview, UNMISS Deputy Spokesperson Shantal Persuad told Eye Radio that the remaining British peacekeepers will arrive in the country within the next few weeks.