The U.N. Security Council has approved a resolution cutting 500 troops from the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo and focusing its work on protecting civilians and enabling presidential elections to be held by the end of the year.

The Trump administration has pressed for cuts and reforms to U.N. peacekeeping and the resolution adopted unanimously Friday is the first reflecting that goal.

The resolution takes steps to improve the operation of the mission, authorizing the replacement of some troops with better-trained specialized units and giving the force a green light to intervene anywhere in the country if needed and not just in the volatile east.
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