“It is absolutely critical that both parties to the conflict do not obstruct safe passage of civilians fleeing to places of refuge both inside and outside of the country”, she said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
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“We are launching OP #SankatMochan to evacuate Indian nationals from South Sudan”. Fighting was fiercer Sunday and Monday.
There was renewed fighting between the government and former rebel forces since Thursday in Juba.
Yesterday, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous told the Security Council that the fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing First Vice-President Riek Machar made the movement of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) hard although the Mission was able to conduct limited patrolling.
United States’ President Obama has ordered 47 USA troops to South Sudan to help protect the American embassy in the country, days after an outbreak of violence in the newly formed nation.
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir called on arch-rival Riek Machar on July 14 to meet for talks to salvage peace after days of intense gun battles in the capital Juba.
Kiir appeared Thursday with African Union special envoy Alpha Oumar Konare, a former president of Mali, and cease-fire monitoring chief Festus Mogae, the former president of Botswana.
This time, Uganda said its troops, who witnesses said entered South Sudan in trucks and armoured vehicles, would stay in a town outside Juba and focus on evacuations.
The violence marks a fresh blow to last year’s deal to end the conflict which erupted when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup.
“There are over 12,000 foreign troops here in South Sudan”.
William Spindler, spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency, said the number of refugees in neighbouring countries was now 835,000.
In government’s assessment this was an opportune moment to arrange for the evacuation, especially since the ceasefire is holding and there is a lull in hostilities.
South Sudan was founded with optimistic celebrations in the capital on July 9, 2011, after it gained independence from Sudan in a referendum that passed with close to 100 percent of the vote.
At least 42,000 people have fled their homes in the latest flareup, with 7,000 sheltering in United Nations peacekeeping bases, while aid groups and churches in the city have taken in 35,000 people.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Security Council on Monday to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, sanction leaders and commanders blocking a peace deal and fortify the peacekeeping mission.
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He further said that he gave Dr. Riek Machar his word that he would protect him as long as they are together. Last August, President Obama helped pressure the two warring leaders to sign a peace agreement.
