UPDF troops preparing to deploy to South Sudan as part of Operation Mlinzi wa Kimya. The troops are expected to strengthen peacekeeping efforts and prevent further escalation of violence in the country. |File Photo|.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mohmoud Yousouf Ali, dispatched a team of the panel of wise to Juba to engage the warring parties to de-escalate the tensions and promote dialogue as a viable way to restore calm in the world’s youngest nation.
This followed weeks of military offensives by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), supported by special forces and the air force of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), against the SPLA-IO (Sudan People’s Liberation Army In-Opposition) and White Army allied forces in Nasir, Ulang, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr El-Ghazal states.
The renewed conflict breached the permanent ceasefire and cessation of hostilities agreement signed in 2018 between the government and armed opposition groups, resulting in nearly seven years of relative calm in most parts of South Sudan.
Military clashes in Nasir County claimed the lives of several government soldiers and Commander David Majur Dak, besides the UN helicopter crew which was on a rescue mission.
To regain military strength, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit requested neighboring Uganda to send military aid and special forces to fight alongside the SSPDF to defeat the SPLA-IO and White Army.
Some media reports indicate that the UPDF warplane used chemical weapons and barrel bombs on the villages in Nasir, Ulang, and parts of Akobo counties. This media, however, could not independently verify some images of children burnt allegedly during the aerial offensive and wreckages of barrel bombs circulating on social media.
After cordial direct talks with President Salva Kiir, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E. Mahmoud Youssouf Ali addressed the evolving political situation in South Sudan and the recent violence in Nasir.
Expressing solidarity with the government and people of South Sudan, the Chairperson reaffirmed the AU’s unwavering commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, and lasting peace.
“To enhance mediation efforts and support the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the Chairperson is dispatching a high-level delegation of the AU Panel of the Wise to Juba to engage with all the stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue,” AU press statement read.
The AU called on all parties to uphold all the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement and ensure its full implementation.
The union said it remains actively engaged with regional and international partners, including IGAD, the EAC, and the United Nations, to support South Sudan’s transition to durable peace and democracy.
