December 26, 2005: The UN has extended the peacekeeping mandate in Burundi. The extension is for six months, from January 15 to June 30, 2006.
Despite the extension, the Security Council believes the situation in Burundi has stabilized and the new unity government will be able to handle holdout Hutu rebels. The UN Operation in Burundi (the acronym is ONUB) currently deploys 5, 300 troops. Troop withdrawals scheduled for early 2006 will cut that number substantially. Mozambique's small contingent will begin withdrawing December 28, 2005. Kenya will withdraw its battalion in February. Ethiopia is currently scheduled to withdraw its battalion-sized contingent in March.
The only remaining rebel group, the FNL, has little popular support, and has been reduced to the status of bandits.
