Share

Over 650 new child soldiers engaged in South Sudan

The fighting displaced at least 15,000 people in the capital.

Advertisement

Machar fled South Sudan for neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and has been replaced in the so-called unity government by a former friend and ally, Taban Deng Gai.

But the government has not accepted the force, saying that such a deployment would be a violation of South Sudan’s sovereignty without President Kiir’s approval.

“The systematic use of rape, sexual exploitation and abduction as a weapon of war in South Sudan must cease, together with the impunity for all perpetrators”, Forsyth said.

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, has launched an independent investigation into allegations that peacekeepers refused to respond to calls for help from civilians and foreigners as South Sudanese soldiers went on rampage on 11 July.

“Thousands more fled to the base when fighting resumed in the capital between government and opposition forces in July”, IOM said in a statement. Overall, around 16,000 child soldiers had been recruited since the country’s initial descent into civil war in December 2013.

The UN’s childrens’ agency UNICEF says more than 650 children have been recently recruited by armed groups in South Sudan. There are also 190,000 South Sudanese living at United Nations camps across the country.

South Sudan’s former rebel leader and ex-Vice President Riek Machar has escaped to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo following violent clashes last month, officials said Thursday.

Irrigation Minister Mabior Garang de Mabior said that Dr Machar will later travel to Addis Ababa, where he will wait for countries in the region to intervene, but first “he has to regain his strength after a month in the bush”.

He added that Machar, whom the SPLM-IO consider as the legitimate First Vice President, is establishing contacts with the leaderships of IGAD, AU and the United Nations, and will soon tour the IGAD member states.

Mr. Machar returned to Juba in April to take up the post of vice-president, but President Kiir dismissed him in the wake of the latest violence.

Political differences between Mr Machar and Mr Kiir ignited the civil war in December 2013 – and they only agreed to settle their differences under intense global pressure, signing a peace deal last August.

UNICEF noted that unconditional access for all humanitarian interventions in Juba and all other parts of the country is urgently needed so as to provide support, protection, and assistance to children and women across the country.

Advertisement

A peace deal signed between the government and rebels a year ago has so far failed to end the conflict.

South Sudan rebel leader flees country