Over 300 dead as South Sudan capital is rocked by violence

More than 300 people are reported to have been killed, including many civilians and a Chinese peacekeeper, in renewed fighting in South Sudan’s capital Juba, raising fears the country is returning to civil war. The new clashes originally broke out on Thursday and Friday between troops loyal to Salva Kiir, the president, and soldiers who support the vice-president, Riek Machar. Observers say it is clear that the peace deal concluded last August between the two main factions in the young country is only holding “by a thread”.

After a lull on Saturday, when South Sudan was to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its independence from Sudan, the fighting flared again on Sunday and Monday, raising fears of a return to all-out civil war. The UN security council urged both sides to end fighting and called for more peacekeepers after a meeting on Sunday. The council’s 15 members demanded Kiir and Machar “genuinely commit themselves to the full and immediate implementation of the peace agreement, including the permanent ceasefire and redeployment of military forces from Juba”.
Britain’s deputy permanent representative, Peter Wilson, said before the meeting it was essential to “unequivocally condemn the violence happening in Juba”.

“We have called for an arms embargo, this situation underlines the need for that,” he added.
France’s UN ambassador, Francois Delattre, also voiced dismay. “We are extremely worried about the situation ... it is a result of a lack of political will on the side of the parties ... The key word is pressure, to urge the parties to take their responsibilities.”
The US on Sunday pulled out all non-essential personnel and urged an end to the fighting.