The United States ordered non-emergency staff to evacuate South Sudan due to rising crime and ongoing armed conflicts. The travel advisory for Americans remains at Level 4, warning against travel. Tensions threaten the fragile peace agreement from 2018, and incidents such as clashes and attacks on UN missions exacerbate the crisis.
The U.S. has mandated the immediate evacuation of non-emergency personnel from South Sudan’s capital due to rising violence, including crime and armed conflict, as per the State Department’s announcement. The country remains under a Level 4 travel advisory, urging Americans to avoid travel due to severe threats.
The advisory highlights alarming rates of violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, and kidnappings, which have specifically targeted foreign nationals with incidents of sexual assaults and armed robberies reported. It warns that fighting is still occurring and that weapons are easily accessible to civilians.
Additionally, the U.S. government acknowledges its limited capacity to offer emergency services to American citizens within South Sudan, mirroring the deteriorating security climate. This advisory arrives as tensions rise, jeopardizing the fragile peace agreement from 2018 between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.
Recent clashes in Upper Nile State resulted in the arrests of significant allies of Riek Machar, escalating concerns among his supporters about the stability of the peace deal that concluded a civil war. Following this, military personnel surrounded Machar’s residence in Juba, adding to the uncertainty without any public explanation.
A separate incident involved an attack on a UN helicopter during an evacuation operation in Nasir, further intensifying the security crisis in the region. The State Department strongly advised Americans in South Sudan to maintain heightened caution, especially in Juba, amidst these developments. Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth was unreachable for comments regarding these events.
The recent U.S. directive for non-emergency personnel to leave South Sudan underscores the rising violence and instability in the country. With ongoing armed conflicts and severe threats to safety, the U.S. government urges its citizens to avoid traveling to South Sudan and to exercise extreme caution if they are already present. The unrest poses a significant risk to the fragile peace established in 2018 between rival political factions.
Original Source: www.radiotamazuj.org
