US Evacuates Nonemergency Staff as Violence Escalates in South Sudan
The U.S. has ordered nonemergency government staff to evacuate South Sudan as fighting intensifies. Clashes have led to key arrests linked to Vice President Riek Machar, threatening the peace agreement established in 2018. A recent attack on a U.N. helicopter has heightened concerns, with the U.N. calling for a renewed focus on human rights and peace efforts.
The U.S. State Department has ordered the evacuation of nonemergency government personnel from South Sudan’s capital amid escalating tensions due to ongoing fighting in the north. The travel advisory issued highlights the availability of weapons among the population as concern grows over the security situation.
Recent clashes involved an armed group and the national army, resulting in the arrests of two government ministers and a deputy army chief linked to Vice President Riek Machar, a former rebel leader. Machar’s residence has since been surrounded by government forces, raising alarms over the stability of the ongoing peace agreement.
From 2013 to 2018, South Sudan experienced a brutal civil war that claimed over 400,000 lives. In 2018, President Salva Kiir and Vice President Machar signed a peace deal, which is currently undergoing implementation. However, recent violence threatens the fragile peace.
The recent attack on a U.N. helicopter conducting an evacuation mission exacerbates the security crisis, with the U.N. deeming it a potential war crime. The U.N. Commission on Human Rights has expressed that ongoing violence in the north and increasing tensions in Juba endanger the peace accord.
Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, stated, “We are witnessing an alarming regression that could erase years of hard-won progress. Leaders must urgently refocus on the peace process, uphold the human rights of South Sudanese citizens, and ensure a smooth transition to democracy.”
The situation in South Sudan remains precarious, with the U.S. urging the departure of nonemergency government staff as violence escalates. The recent clashes and resulting arrests threaten the fragile peace established in 2018. As tensions rise, it is imperative for leaders to recommit to the peace process and protect the rights of citizens to avert further conflict.
Original Source: www.mymotherlode.com
