US Orders Non-Emergency Personnel to Evacuate South Sudan Amid Rising Tensions

The United States has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel from South Sudan due to rising crime and armed conflict. The travel advisory remains at Level 4, advising Americans against travel. Ongoing tensions threaten a fragile peace agreement, following recent violent clashes and detentions of political allies. The security crisis was exacerbated by attacks on UN operations.

The United States has mandated the prompt evacuation of non-emergency personnel from South Sudan’s capital, attributing this decision to a rise in crime, kidnappings, and armed conflicts. According to the Department of State, the travel advisory for South Sudan is currently at Level 4, warning Americans against traveling to the country.

The travel advisory underscores rampant violent crime, which encompasses carjackings, shootings, and kidnappings. Foreign nationals, in particular, face risks from sexual assaults and armed robberies. It further alerts that conflicts are ongoing and that “weapons are readily available to the population.” Additionally, the advisory indicates the limited capability of the U.S. government to offer emergency consular services.

This warning arises amid increasing tensions jeopardizing the precarious peace agreement established in 2018 between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar. Recent clashes in Upper Nile State involved government forces and an armed group, resulting in the detention of key affiliates of Mr. Machar, including the petroleum minister and a deputy army chief.

Subsequently, military personnel cordoned off Mr. Machar’s residence in Juba, although no official reason was disclosed. His supporters caution that such detentions could threaten the fragile peace deal that ended the civil war between the factions loyal to both leaders.

An incident on Friday, in which a United Nations helicopter conducting an evacuation was attacked in Nasir, has further intensified the security situation. The State Department has recommended that any Americans in South Sudan maintain “extreme caution,” particularly within the capital, Juba. Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth was not immediately available for commentary.

In summary, the United States has ordered the withdrawal of non-emergency personnel from South Sudan due to escalating violence and crime. The travel warning highlights the grave security challenges, including ongoing armed conflicts and the limited ability to provide consular assistance. Such developments threaten the tenuous peace established by the 2018 agreement between the country’s leadership, with fears that recent detentions could disrupt this fragile stability.

Original Source: www.radiotamazuj.org