South Sudan’s government has changed its position on the participation of the neighboring countries in the regional protection force, a senior military leader told Radio Tamazuj.

Santo Domic, a deputy spokesperson for the SPLA said that Chief of General Staff Gen. Paul Malong discussed with Ethiopian military officials about how they could participate in the regional force.

The 4,000 strong peacekeeping force is meant to bolster the existing 12,000 U.N. troops in the country, and was mandated by the U.N. Security Council. It has been strongly resisted by the government, however.

Domic said the discussion centered around the deployment of the protection force and implementation of the country’s peace agreement. Malong stressed that South Sudan is not against the participation of any troops from the neighboring countries in the regional forces.

“Government of South Sudan has no any issues with the neighboring countries because they are brothers and neighbors and we accept any forces from the neighboring countries” Domic said. 

Separately, Domic said that two government soldiers and four rebel soldiers were killed in the Western part of Juba last month during clashes. Gunmen attacked the soldiers, he said.