The United Nations Security Council on Friday imposed an arms embargo on war-torn South Sudan in addition to current sanctions, till May 31, 2019.

Nine countries voted in favor of a US-drafted resolution, while China Russia, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea and Kazakhstan abstained.

Ethiopia opposed the arms embargo, arguing it could derail the ongoing peace process in South Sudan.

The Security Council also added former military chief Paul Malong and Malek Reuben Riak, a former deputy chief of general staff for logistics, to the UN sanctions blacklist and hit by a global visa ban and assets freeze.

The resolution expressed concern at the failures of South Sudan's leaders to bring an end to the hostilities.

John Prendergast, Founding Director of the Enough Project and Co-Founder of The Sentry, said peace processes need leverage to have any chance of success.

Meanwhile Brian Adeba, Deputy Director of Policy at the Enough Project said today’s arms embargo vote by the Security Council is a signal of hope that the world community is now willing to make the hard choices to hold those fueling the violence in South Sudan accountable for their egregious actions.