New York, Dhu-AlQa'dah 09, 1437, August 12, 2016, SPA -- The UN Security Council on Friday authorized the deployment of a 4,000-member regional protection force to strengthen the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and threatened to impose an arms embargo if the government impedes the work of UN troops, according to dpa. The resolution extending the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force to war-torn South Sudan, known as UNMISS, comes after renewed clashes broke out in early July as the country was celebrating the fifth anniversary of independence from Sudan. The protection force, which will come from neighbouring countries, is mandated to ensure safe and free movement around the capital Juba, protect the town's airport and key facilities and stop any attacks against civilians and UN peacekeepers. The resolution does not impose an arms embargo on the country - even though several Security Council members had pushed for such a measure. The council does threaten, however, to consider the move, along with other sanctions, if the South Sudanese government does not allow the deployment of the new force or obstructs the work of UNMISS. --SPA 23:03 LOCAL TIME 20:03 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w