The SPLM-IO said on Sunday that First Vice President Riek Machar will not return to Juba unless regional troops are deployed in the capital.
“Currently there is a need for a third party force from the region to provide security in Juba,” said Peter Gatkuoth, a spokesperson for the SPLM-IO. “The UN force with regional troops should take up the responsibility of providing security in Juba”
An IGAD meeting on Friday said that a regional force should seperate the two parties in the capital city.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Gatkuoth said the SPLM-IO sent three members to participate in the African Union summit in Kigali that was held last weekend. Gatkuoth said that the third party force will stop fighting between the two parties, and also said that Machar has been targeted in recent days.
Presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny declined to comment on the call for regional troops and demilitarization of Juba, and said the government will comment after the plan is finalized.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressed the opening session of the summit in Kigali Saturday, urging them to put South Sudan’s crisis on the top of their summit’s agenda. He also reiterated calls for arm embargo on South Sudan and sanctions for those who committed war crimes.