The U.N. Security Council on Thursday unanimously approved the establishment of a U.N. peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic (CAR) to attempt to stop sectarian violence that has threatened to spiral into genocide. The 15-country council authorized a U.N. force, to be known as MINUSCA, of up to 10,000 soldiers, 1,800 police, and 20 prison officers. It also authorizes French troops already in the landlocked country to support U.N. peacekeepers. The U.N. operation will assume authority on September 15 from the African Union's 5,600-strong MISCA force, which was deployed in December. The Security Council wants the U.N. force to include "as many MISCA military and police personnel as possible." The council resolution also urges the CAR transitional authorities "to accelerate the preparations in order to hold free, fair, transparent, and inclusive presidential and legislative elections no later than February 2015."
