Outgoing chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has called for an immediate end to hostilities in South Sudan.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, chairperson of the pan-African bloc expressed “deep concern” over the escalating tensions and clashes in Nasir County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State and beyond that included Friday’s lethal attack on a UN helicopter, threatening the peace process in the country.
Faki “strongly condemned” the escalation of violence and called for utmost restraint by all parties.
He called on authorities to hold the perpetrators of the violence fully accountable and take prompt measures to protect citizens.
He also demanded an immediate end to the hostilities, adherence to the ceasefire arrangements, and for the parties to urgently engage in national dialogue.
He said the AU is currently consulting with the authorities in South Sudan, the East African bloc’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), as well as other stakeholders on common actions to ensure a de-escalation of the situation.
The chairperson reiterated the AU’s longstanding call for South Sudanese parties to fully implement the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
On Friday, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir appealed for calm and reiterated his commitment to peace, shortly after 27 people were killed in a violent attack on government forces
Gen Majur Dak was confirmed among those killed while several UNMISS peacekeepers were also injured in the attack blamed on the White Army militia.
Several opposition allies of Mr Machar were arrested earlier this week over an attack on a military base in Upper Nile State by the militia.
Perennial political foes Kiir and Machar are part of a shaky unity government installed in 2018 after a peace deal following five years of civil strife which began when the latter was accused of orchestrating an abortive coup in December 2013.
MG/as/APA