Feb. 1 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Nations has shown this Wednesday its “serious concern” about the increased deployment of forces in the South Sudanese state of Alto Nile (northeast) and has asked that forces loyal to General Johnson Olony “avoid actions that could pose a threat to civilians and affect humanitarian operations.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has indicated in a statement published on its website that its ‘blue helmets’ have “increased their presence” in the area and added that “it is verifying the report on movements and mobilization (of forces)”.
“The mission continues to interact with the Government, officials and other leaders to avoid a further increase in tensions after the fierce fighting that began in November,” he said, while calling for “containment and commitment to peace and dialogue” , following the visit to the African country by Pope Francis.
The statement has been published a day after the ‘troika’ for South Sudan – made up of the United States, the United Kingdom and Norway – expressed its “great concern” over “the indications about the preparations for new combat in the state Upper Nile”. “We will always be with those who ask for peace and work for it,” they added.
“The South Sudanese transitional leaders and political actors in Juba have a responsibility to act to prevent this and achieve peaceful and sustainable solutions. They also have a responsibility to ensure continued safe access for the delivery of humanitarian aid,” they stressed.
“We also call on South Sudanese leaders to hold to account those responsible for previous subnational violence, including recent clashes in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Greater Pibor Administrative Area. This includes those responsible for violations of the Human Rights, kidnappings and human trafficking”, they stressed.
South Sudan has a unity government that came into being after the 2018 peace agreement materialized. Despite the decrease in violence due to the political conflict, the country has registered an increase in inter-community confrontations, mainly motivated by theft livestock and disputes between herders and farmers in the most fertile areas of the country, especially due to increased desertification and population displacement.
