The US military has deployed additional soldiers to Gabon amid fears of violent protests in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the aftermath of the presidential elections.

President Trump wrote a letter to the Congress informing about 80 troops had arrived in Gabon on the beginning of January to protect US citizens and diplomatic missions in case of the violence out in Congo’s capital Kinshasa. The DRC‘s electoral commission is scheduled to release the provisional results of the presidential election on Sunday, but later added that there could be delays because of the slow arrival of tally sheets. “The first of these personnel arrived in Gabon on January 2, 2019, with appropriate combat equipment and supported by military aircraft,” Trump’s letter to Congress read.

“Additional forces may deploy to Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or the Republic of the Congo, if necessary for these purposes.

“These deployed personnel will remain in the region until the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed.”