She said that “German, European and global citizens” will be evacuated but said she couldn’t detail the nationalities of non-Germans who will be taken out.
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Government and opposition forces in South Sudan have been advised of the deployment, which is “defensive in nature and for the sole goal to protect US personnel and facilities”, Dyrcz said.
In recent days, the government overran one of Machar’s two bases in Juba, deploying helicopter gunships and tanks against opposition forces carrying only light arms.
The ceasefire order took effect from 18:00 local time and any member of the Machar-led forces who surrender must be protected as well.
Heavy fighting between the rival factions erupted again on Monday. “At present, the fighting is taking place in Juba”, she added.
Since the fighting began on 8 July, some 5,000 additional internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought protection in the UN’s Tomping compound in the capital.
“There is hardly any food in the market, and people are starving”. United Nations peacekeepers have been protecting the United Nations compounds and Protection of Civilian sites, which house internally displaced people. “Most of the affected people are women and children”.
“If there are those who are prepared to send more troops then something needs to be done in order to try and stabilize the situation and protect the population, which is of course on the receiving end of this whole disaster”, he said.
The U.N. refugee agency has expressed concern about the South Sudan-Uganda crossing, “where security is tightened on the South Sudan side”, and it called on all armed parties to allow safe passage.
United Nations humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Eugene Owusu, called on all sides to ensure “unhindered access” so that humanitarian workers could reach people, including those hardest hit by the fighting.
“Three quarters of the population of South Sudan is in need of humanitarian assistance”, WFP chief Ertharin Cousin told AFP in Amman. Clashes that erupted last week have so far killed almost 300 people, including several dozen civilians, before a ceasefire took effect on Tuesday.
More than 270 people are reported to be dead after clashes in Juba, South Sudan, started four days ago between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Rieck Machar.
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Regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which brokered the peace agreement between Kiir and Machar, has called on the government to hand over security of the main airport to UNMISS, something the government quickly rejected.
