But fighting flared last month, leading Machar to withdraw with his forces from Juba around mid-July.
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“Due to the gravity of these incidents, related allegations and the preliminary findings by UNMISS, the Secretary-General has chose to launch an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and to evaluate the Mission’s overall response”, Ban’s spokesman said in a statement Monday.
Machar, from the minority Nuer ethnic group, left Juba with his troops, saying he would only return when an worldwide body sets up a buffer force between his fighters and those supporting Kiir, leader of the dominant Dinka group.
Both sides have been accused of human rights violations during the fighting.
Separately, several witnesses also told the AP that United Nations peacekeepers in Juba did not stop the rapes of local women by soldiers outside the UN’s main camp last month. He invited the United Nations and member states of a regional bloc to assign a representative to join the commission.
“Low levels of funding, together with a large number of new arrivals fleeing to Uganda from South Sudan since July 7, has left the refugee response with no choice but to re-prioritize their focus on those refugees in greatest need”, the statement said. “Recent reports point to widespread sexual violence against girls and women”.
Khartoum hosts many South Sudanese politicians who are asked to not to exercise political activities against Juba government. He and his troops were forced out of the city by fighters loyal to Kiir during about five days of fighting in early July.
South Sudan’s deposed vice president who’s now a rebel-opposition leader has fled for neighboring Congo, throwing the East African nation’s fragile peace deal further toward limbo just a few years after it was one of the Obama administration’s top foreign policy triumphs.
Garang said rebel factions remained committed to the peace treaty signed with the South Sudan ruling government in August 2015.
“South Sudan’s leaders must investigate this incident and hold accountable the individuals responsible for these cowardly and brutal assaults”, Power said in a statement. The agreement has been violated repeatedly by fighting.
He initially fled the capital, Juba, during violence in July.
After issuing an ultimatum for Machar to return to Juba in 48 hours to salvage last year’s peace deal, or face replacement, he appointed Deng Gai as his new First Vice President. UNICEF said children continue to be recruited and used by armed groups and forces despite widespread political commitment to end the practice.
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“If you go to the front line, two things would happen: either you will kill someone or you will be killed”, he said.
