The United States on Thursday renewed its travel advisory for South Sudan, advising American nationals not to travel to the war-torn country. The advisory, repeating an earlier warning, urges travellers not to visit South Sudan due to crime and armed conflict in the country.
This latest advisory, the US State Department said in a statement, replaces the previous travel advisory issued on January 10, 2018.
"Violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings is common throughout South Sudan, including Juba," the 28 June, 2018,” advisory stated.
It added, "Armed conflict is ongoing throughout the country and includes fighting between various political and ethnic groups, and weapons are readily available to the population."
The advisory also warns of cattle raids throughout the country that can lead to violence.
Journalists were also cautioned that working in South Sudan without the proper documentation from the South Sudanese Media Authority is illegal and any journalistic work is considered very dangerous.
Many journalists, the advisory said, have reported harassment and others have been killed while working in South Sudan.
"U.S. government personnel in South Sudan are under a strict curfew. They must use armoured vehicles for nearly all movements in the city, and official travel outside Juba is limited," the advisory states.
The advisory also lists several suggestions for people who choose to travel to the country including avoiding border travel, demonstrations and photography and taking several steps to establish identity and proof of life and inform others of the trip.
It also advised those intending to travel to South Sudan to develop a communication plan with family and/or your employer or host organization so that they can monitor your safety and location as you travel through high-risk areas.
This plan, it said, should specify who you would contact first, and how they should share information. "The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in South Sudan," it said.
“U.S. government personnel in South Sudan are under a strict curfew,” it added.