New York - The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan through the end of November.
The extension comes as the oil-rich east African country struggles with a new wave of violence between fighters loyal to President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar. The UN says it is the worst it has seen in several months.
The peacekeeping mission, with more than 11 000 troops and police, has been sheltering more than 100 000 civilians for months amid the fighting.
Multiple peace deals have fallen apart. The Security Council for several months has threatened sanctions against those standing in the way of peace and even created a sanctions committee this year, but no one has been sanctioned so far.