A UN evacuation effort in South Sudan has turned deadly, with reports confirming multiple casualties following an attack on a helicopter.
UN Helicopter Attack in South Sudan Leaves Multiple Casualties
UN Helicopter Attack in South Sudan Leaves Multiple Casualties
Violence erupts amid UN evacuation effort, raising alarms over potential war crimes.
The UN stated that during an operation to transport wounded national troops from a conflict zone in Upper Nile state, their helicopter came under fire, resulting in the death of one crew member and several South Sudanese soldiers. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) described the attack as “utterly abhorrent” and suggested it could be classified as a war crime.
The incident involved a total of 27 South Sudanese troops being reportedly killed, according to Information Minister Michael Makuei, amid ongoing fighting in the region that jeopardizes the fragile peace established between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar.
Kiir confirmed that General Majur Dak, who oversaw troops in the Nasir area, was among those deceased in the assault. Following the attack, he urged citizens to remain calm, asserting his commitment to preventing a return to civil war, which devastated the nation between 2013 and 2018, claiming around 400,000 lives.
The resurgence of violence in Upper Nile has sparked apprehensions within the international community, particularly as recent weeks have seen significant turmoil, including the detention of several of Machar's associates. The armed confrontation has primarily involved South Sudan's army and the White Army, an ethnic militia previously aligned with Machar during the civil war.
UNMISS, striving to support peace efforts, had been evacuating wounded troops in coordination with both military factions when the helicopter was targeted. The mission's head, Nicholas Haysom, expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and emphasized the need for accountability regarding the attack.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, is now facing renewed challenges to its stability as fear of escalating conflict looms on the horizon.
The incident involved a total of 27 South Sudanese troops being reportedly killed, according to Information Minister Michael Makuei, amid ongoing fighting in the region that jeopardizes the fragile peace established between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar.
Kiir confirmed that General Majur Dak, who oversaw troops in the Nasir area, was among those deceased in the assault. Following the attack, he urged citizens to remain calm, asserting his commitment to preventing a return to civil war, which devastated the nation between 2013 and 2018, claiming around 400,000 lives.
The resurgence of violence in Upper Nile has sparked apprehensions within the international community, particularly as recent weeks have seen significant turmoil, including the detention of several of Machar's associates. The armed confrontation has primarily involved South Sudan's army and the White Army, an ethnic militia previously aligned with Machar during the civil war.
UNMISS, striving to support peace efforts, had been evacuating wounded troops in coordination with both military factions when the helicopter was targeted. The mission's head, Nicholas Haysom, expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and emphasized the need for accountability regarding the attack.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, is now facing renewed challenges to its stability as fear of escalating conflict looms on the horizon.
