However, the evacuation exercise faced a hurdle as many Indians, who had registered with the External Affairs Ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
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The world’s newest country has suffered a fresh bout of violence in the wake of its fifth birthday, celebrated July 9th, and an uneasy peace hangs over its capital city, Juba, after the two main belligerents called for a ceasefire Monday.
Some South Sudanese, even those with dual US citizenship, are not being allowed to leave the country, even as the United States, India and other countries continued Thursday to evacuate their citizens while a fragile cease-fire appeared to hold.
Following a relative calm on Saturday, heavy fighting resumed on Sunday, spreading through the town and continued through yesterday until the ceasefire was announced.
South Sudan’s UN Ambassador Akuei Bona Malwal described the latest fighting as “setbacks” that his government considered part of “a learning curve”, saying he remained committed to the peace deal.
There are over 12,000 foreign troops here in South Sudan. Officials have warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in the country brought on by disrupted harvests and the displacement of more than 2 million people. Thousands of people on the South Sudan side are eager to leave following days of intense battles in the capital Juba, 200 kilometres (125 miles) to the north, which have threatened a return to war.
Amnesty International said it had received reports from two charter airline companies that “National Security Service officers have ordered them not to carry South Sudanese nationals, particularly men”.
Washington said on Wednesday it had deployed 47 troops to South Sudan to protect us citizens and the embassy in Juba.
“If there was anyone hunting for them, they could find them”, Kiir said.
Ellen Margrethe Loj, head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan, told reporters that she had received reports Wednesday of fighting in Leer, adding she remained vigilant about other potential flareups.
“I talked to Dr Riek in the morning today (Thursday)”.
He said the decision was to avoid further violence with forces loyal to President Salva Kiir after the declaration of ceasefire on Monday evening.
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“WFP strongly condemns the theft of food intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people of South Sudan”, said WFP Deputy Regional Director Vernon Archibald.
