The UN Security Council has strongly condemned continued fighting across South Sudan, particularly incidents in the Equatoria and UpperNile regions, and called on all parties to cease hostilities immidiately.
In a press statement issued on Friday and seen by Radio Tamazuj,the Council also condemned in the strongest terms all attacks directed against civilians and expressed serious concern that, once again, about reports of killing of civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, destruction of homes, ethnic violence, and looting of livestock and property.
The 15-member council urged the unity government to take measures to ensure that those responsible for the attacks are held accountable. They expressed deep alarm that more than 84,000 individuals have fled South Sudan since the beginning of January and that many continue to be displaced internally.
The Council stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict, saying it welcomes the continued and collective commitment in the search for lasting peace, security and stability expressed by the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the UN during the joint consultative meeting on South Sudan that was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 29, 2017.
The members of the Security Council expressed its commitment to work closely with IGAD, the AU High Representative for South Sudan former President Alpha Oumar Konare, the Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission former President Festus Mogae, and the UN Secretary-General in support of the South Sudan peaceprocess.
The Council expressed deep concern that the unity government is hindering the ability of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to carry out its mandate to protect civilians and create conditions conducive to delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The members of the UN Security Council reminded the unity government of its commitment in the September 4, 2016, Joint Communique to permit freedom of movement of UNMISS.
The Council reiterated that targeting civilians may constitute war crimes and those involved could be subject to sanctions as authorized under resolution 2206 (2015) for actions that threaten the peace, security or stability of South Sudan.
File photo: the Security Council votes unanimously to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) through 15 December 2017. UN Photo/Manuel Elias