The U.S. State Department has ordered nonemergency personnel to leave South Sudan’s capital as tensions rise due to recent fighting. Clashes have led to high-level arrests and raised fears for the fragile peace agreement established after a devastating civil war. A U.N. helicopter attack has further worsened the security situation, prompting calls for renewed focus on peace and human rights.
On Sunday, the U.S. State Department mandated the evacuation of nonemergency government personnel from South Sudan’s capital, Juba, due to increasing tensions arising from fighting in the northern regions. The travel advisory highlighted ongoing conflicts, noting the widespread availability of weapons among the civilian population.
Recent skirmishes between an armed faction and the national army resulted in the detention of two ministers and a deputy army chief affiliated with Vice President Riek Machar. Machar’s residence was surrounded by military forces, as his supporters raised concerns that these arrests threaten the fragile peace agreement established in 2018.
South Sudan experienced a devastating civil war from 2013 to 2018, which claimed over 400,000 lives. The peace deal signed between President Salva Kiir and Machar in 2018 is still in progress, facing numerous challenges.
Compounding the precarious security environment, a U.N. helicopter engaged in an evacuation mission was attacked in northern South Sudan, a situation deemed a “war crime” by a U.N. rights organization. The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan stressed that the violence in the north and escalating tensions in Juba endanger the entire peace process.
Yasmin Sooka, the chairperson of the commission, expressed grave concerns about the current situation, stating that it represents an alarming regression in peace efforts. Sooka urged South Sudan’s leaders to shift their focus from division and conflict to revitalizing the peace process, protecting human rights, and ensuring a transition to democracy.
The U.S. evacuation order underscores the deteriorating security situation in South Sudan as tensions rise from recent violent confrontations. These developments threaten the fragile peace established since the civil war, highlighting the urgent need for renewed commitment to the peace process and the safeguarding of human rights within the nation. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing the importance of stability and governance in South Sudan.
Original Source: www.2news.com
