An international aid organisation said Monday that a group of armed men had stormed their compound in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-seeks-to-re-evaluate-relationship-with-south-sudan-calls-back-ambassador-264515">northeastern South Sudan</a>, assaulting and injuring five staff members.

Relief International said the attack took place on Sunday in a field office in Upper Nile State.

"Multiple gunmen, armed with assault rifles, pistols and knives, invaded a staff compound. During this assault, five of our staff were assaulted and sustained injuries," the agency said in a statement.

"We have relocated our team to safety, and they are receiving all necessary care," said Nancy Wilson, Relief International Chief Executive Officer

"They endured a senseless act of violence in the course of their assignment providing life-saving care to the refugee community in Upper Nile State, South Sudan."

Humanitarian workers have been repeatedly targeted with at least 115 killed since the country plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him.

The unrest has left nearly 400,000 dead and displaced millions.

A peace deal was signed in September last year and a ceasefire has largely held but efforts to form a power-sharing government have been repeatedly delayed.

An international aid organisation said Monday that a group of armed men had stormed their compound in northeastern South Sudan, assaulting and injuring five staff members.

An international aid organisation said Monday that a group of armed men had stormed their compound in northeastern South Sudan, assaulting and injuring five staff members. Relief International said the attack took place on Sunday in a field office in Upper Nile State. "Multiple gunmen, armed with assault rifles, pistols and knives, invaded a staff compound. During this assault, five of our staff were assaulted and sustained injuries," the agency said in a statement. "We have relocated our team to safety, and they are receiving all necessary care," said Nancy Wilson, Relief International Chief Executive Officer "They endured a senseless act of violence in the course of their assignment providing life-saving care to the refugee community in Upper Nile State, South Sudan." Humanitarian workers have been repeatedly targeted with at least 115 killed since the country plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him. The unrest has left nearly 400,000 dead and displaced millions. A peace deal was signed in September last year and a ceasefire has largely held but efforts to form a power-sharing government have been repeatedly delayed.

Armed men stormed South Sudan compound: Aid organisation

Weak rays of early morning sun seep through the smoke rising from smouldering piles of dried dung, keeping flies away from the precious cattle.

Children instinctively reach down for the white ash, a natural mosquito repellent, and rub it on their skin as women set to milking and men prepare for a long day seeking pasture at the peak of the dry season.

The passing of centuries seems to have changed little in the ebb and flow of life for herders in remote<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bush-fire-guts-four-villages-in-south-sudan-kills-33-216665"> South Sudan</a>, whose cattle serve as a bank account and play a core role in every aspect of life.

There has, however, been one devastating shift.

Instead of their traditional spears, cowherds now carry automatic rifles that have transformed cattle raids, a generations-old phenomenon, into massacres that have unleashed brutal cycles of vengeance.

"It is good to have a weapon because it helps you to protect the cattle," said Puk Duoth, 25, a header from a camp outside the northeastern village of Udier.

While South Sudan's elites signed a power-sharing truce in September 2018, cattle raids have worsened, highlighting the herculean task required to resolve local conflicts in a society shattered by war.&nbsp;

According to the UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS, 218 members of herder communities were killed in January in tit-for-tat attacks -- almost three times the toll of 73 in the four months from October 2017 to January 2018.&nbsp;

Observers blame a deadly cocktail of factors for the rising body count: a breakdown of law and order in the war-torn nation, an influx of guns and inflation in the bride price -- paid in cattle.

Cash cows&nbsp;

In these parts, cows are everything.

In the culture of the Nuer and Dinka peoples -- South Sudan's largest herder communities -- boys are named after a favoured bull, and songs are written to glorify the long-horned beasts.

"If you are sick, then the cow can be sold and the money used for treatment," says Beny Chuer, a Dinka chief from Amazing camp outside the central city of Rumbek -- one of the areas worst affected by raids and revenge killings.

"If a mother dies leaving a small baby, that child will live because a cow will be milked to feed it."

Cattle is currency -- each head worth about $500 (440 euros). The more a man owns, the more admiration he garners.

"If you are sitting in a community meeting and you are talking rubbish, but people know you have many cows, you will be honoured," said Peter Machar, of the NGO Saferworld working on local conflicts.

In his 1940 study of the Nuer people, British anthropologist Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard found this single-minded preoccupation frustrating in his research efforts.

"I used sometimes to despair that I never discussed anything with the young men but livestock and girls and even the subject of girls led inevitably to that of cattle," he wrote.

&nbsp;Costly brides, rampant guns&nbsp;

"For us, a cow is the source of money," said chief Chuer, well over two metres (6 feet, 7 inches) tall -- a genetic legacy perhaps of tall women being viewed as more valuable in herder communities.

He boasts that his tallest daughter earned him a whopping 250 cows.

This is part of the cause of conflict, said Peter Machar's colleague Majok Mon, his own first name a Dinka word for the markings on a bull.

Bride prices soared as donor money poured into the country after independence from Sudan, allowing politicians, military men and the well-connected to enrich themselves and "get a lot of money" to pay for a wife, he said.

The average price went up from about 20 head of cattle to 100, in a country where the majority of people follow the tradition.

Suddenly, many young men could not afford to get married unless they raided cattle from other communities.

Guns flooded the country between the war for independence, achieved in 2011, and the internal conflict that erupted two years later as President Salva Kiir and rival Riek Machar fell out.

Both sides armed young herders and mobilised them to fight, said Peter Machar.

As any semblance of law and order collapsed, the warring also destroyed traditional systems, managed by tribal chiefs, for settling feuds.

"What brought the issue of cattle raids is the gun... if you don't have a gun, then you will be monitored slowly, slowly until you are shot and your cows were taken, but if you have your gun, then you can shoot" in defence, said Chuer.

Out of control&nbsp;

While fighting has stopped in most of the country as a result of the peace deal, this has changed nothing for herder groups nursing long-standing grievances unrelated to the national tug of war for power.

And with the attention elsewhere, armed herders are launching increasingly deadly military-style attacks on rival camps, with women and children among the victims.

The reality in these remote communities "is very far from what is happening with the elites in Juba," United Nations special envoy David Shearer told AFP.

A report on the "militarisation" of cattle raiding in South Sudan, published last year in the Journal of International Humanitarian Action, warned that leaders like Kiir and Riek Machar, "has undermined the traditional mechanisms that once governed violence in order to further their individual political interests, no longer have control over these raiders either."

All these factors bode ill for prospects of peace in a country whose youth has known nothing but conflict.

Weak rays of early morning sun seep through the smoke rising from smouldering piles of dried dung, keeping flies away from the precious cattle. Children instinctively reach down for the white ash, a natural mosquito repellent, and rub it on their skin as women set to milking and men prepare for a long day seeking pasture at the peak of the dry season.

Weak rays of early morning sun seep through the smoke rising from smouldering piles of dried dung, keeping flies away from the precious cattle. Children instinctively reach down for the white ash, a natural mosquito repellent, and rub it on their skin as women set to milking and men prepare for a long day seeking pasture at the peak of the dry season. The passing of centuries seems to have changed little in the ebb and flow of life for herders in remote South Sudan, whose cattle serve as a bank account and play a core role in every aspect of life. There has, however, been one devastating shift. Instead of their traditional spears, cowherds now carry automatic rifles that have transformed cattle raids, a generations-old phenomenon, into massacres that have unleashed brutal cycles of vengeance. "It is good to have a weapon because it helps you to protect the cattle," said Puk Duoth, 25, a header from a camp outside the northeastern village of Udier. While South Sudan's elites signed a power-sharing truce in September 2018, cattle raids have worsened, highlighting the herculean task required to resolve local conflicts in a society shattered by war. According to the UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS, 218 members of herder communities were killed in January in tit-for-tat attacks -- almost three times the toll of 73 in the four months from October 2017 to January 2018. Observers blame a deadly cocktail of factors for the rising body count: a breakdown of law and order in the war-torn nation, an influx of guns and inflation in the bride price -- paid in cattle. Cash cows In these parts, cows are everything. In the culture of the Nuer and Dinka peoples -- South Sudan's largest herder communities -- boys are named after a favoured bull, and songs are written to glorify the long-horned beasts. "If you are sick, then the cow can be sold and the money used for treatment," says Beny Chuer, a Dinka chief from Amazing camp outside the central city of Rumbek -- one of the areas worst affected by raids and revenge killings. "If a mother dies leaving a small baby, that child will live because a cow will be milked to feed it." Cattle is currency -- each head worth about $500 (440 euros). The more a man owns, the more admiration he garners. "If you are sitting in a community meeting and you are talking rubbish, but people know you have many cows, you will be honoured," said Peter Machar, of the NGO Saferworld working on local conflicts. In his 1940 study of the Nuer people, British anthropologist Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard found this single-minded preoccupation frustrating in his research efforts. "I used sometimes to despair that I never discussed anything with the young men but livestock and girls and even the subject of girls led inevitably to that of cattle," he wrote. Costly brides, rampant guns "For us, a cow is the source of money," said chief Chuer, well over two metres (6 feet, 7 inches) tall -- a genetic legacy perhaps of tall women being viewed as more valuable in herder communities. He boasts that his tallest daughter earned him a whopping 250 cows. This is part of the cause of conflict, said Peter Machar's colleague Majok Mon, his own first name a Dinka word for the markings on a bull. Bride prices soared as donor money poured into the country after independence from Sudan, allowing politicians, military men and the well-connected to enrich themselves and "get a lot of money" to pay for a wife, he said. The average price went up from about 20 head of cattle to 100, in a country where the majority of people follow the tradition. Suddenly, many young men could not afford to get married unless they raided cattle from other communities. Guns flooded the country between the war for independence, achieved in 2011, and the internal conflict that erupted two years later as President Salva Kiir and rival Riek Machar fell out. Both sides armed young herders and mobilised them to fight, said Peter Machar. As any semblance of law and order collapsed, the warring also destroyed traditional systems, managed by tribal chiefs, for settling feuds. "What brought the issue of cattle raids is the gun... if you don't have a gun, then you will be monitored slowly, slowly until you are shot and your cows were taken, but if you have your gun, then you can shoot" in defence, said Chuer. Out of control While fighting has stopped in most of the country as a result of the peace deal, this has changed nothing for herder groups nursing long-standing grievances unrelated to the national tug of war for power. And with the attention elsewhere, armed herders are launching increasingly deadly military-style attacks on rival camps, with women and children among the victims. The reality in these remote communities "is very far from what is happening with the elites in Juba," United Nations special envoy David Shearer told AFP. A report on the "militarisation" of cattle raiding in South Sudan, published last year in the Journal of International Humanitarian Action, warned that leaders like Kiir and Riek Machar, "has undermined the traditional mechanisms that once governed violence in order to further their individual political interests, no longer have control over these raiders either." All these factors bode ill for prospects of peace in a country whose youth has known nothing but conflict.

Money, guns and brides fuel South Sudan's cattle wars

South Sudan&#39;s government on Wednesday was forced to deny President Salva Kiir had died, following days of rumours over his health that have heightened tensions in the capital Juba.

&quot;This is a mere lie, there is nothing as such, Salva Kiir has not even been sick,&quot; information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told journalists in Juba, slamming &quot;wild rumours&quot; he said aimed to divide the people of South Sudan.

The rumours have been doing the rounds on Twitter, and even spread as far as Uganda where Kiir, 65, was reported to have fled for medical treatment.

Residents of Juba reported a higher than usual presence of soldiers on the streets, as the rumours coincided with mounting concerns over an uptick in violence in the troubled nation in recent weeks.

&quot;We are scared of the situation. You cannot know what is exactly happening but (there are) rumours that the president has died. Well, it is said fighting may break out and this is why I am scared,&quot; said Moses Modi, a resident of Juba who was staying home over security fears.

Another Juba resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that some schools had sent pupils back home.

&quot;There are soldiers deployed along the road. Mainly the roads around the ministries and the State House ... I am at work but leaving (for) home now. Because the tension is high,&quot; she added.

South Sudan, which gained independence in July 2011, descended into war just two and a half years later when Kiir in December 2013 accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup.

Numerous attempts to shore up a fragile truce failed, and in a major setback to peace efforts, fierce clashes erupted in Juba on July 8 this year between Kiir&#39;s guards and troops loyal to Machar.

The international community has expressed deep concerns over a spread in violence since the July clashes, which pushed the number of refugees from the war-scarred nation past the one-million mark, according to the UNHCR.

In a further blow to peace hopes, Machar last month urged &quot;a popular armed resistance&quot; against his rival&#39;s government.

Machar, who fled to Khartoum in the July fighting, on Wednesday left for South Africa for medical tests.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday said it was &quot;extremely concerned over increased reports of violence and armed conflict in various parts of the country in the last few weeks.&quot;

In the town of Leer, in the north, UNMISS forces reported heavy artillery and gunfire exchanges between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar, leading to an unspecified number of deaths and sending local populations fleeing.

In a statement, UNMISS said it had been denied access to an area where some 21 civilians were reportedly killed in an ambush on the road between Juba and the southern city of Yei over the weekend.

(AFP)

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan expressed concern over 'increased reports of violence and armed conflict in the past few weeks'

South Sudan's government on Wednesday was forced to deny President Salva Kiir had died, following days of rumours over his health that have heightened tensions in the capital Juba. "This is a mere lie, there is nothing as such, Salva Kiir has not even been sick," information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told journalists in Juba, slamming "wild rumours" he said aimed to divide the people of South Sudan. The rumours have been doing the rounds on Twitter, and even spread as far as Uganda where Kiir, 65, was reported to have fled for medical treatment. Residents of Juba reported a higher than usual presence of soldiers on the streets, as the rumours coincided with mounting concerns over an uptick in violence in the troubled nation in recent weeks. "We are scared of the situation. You cannot know what is exactly happening but (there are) rumours that the president has died. Well, it is said fighting may break out and this is why I am scared," said Moses Modi, a resident of Juba who was staying home over security fears. Another Juba resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that some schools had sent pupils back home. "There are soldiers deployed along the road. Mainly the roads around the ministries and the State House ... I am at work but leaving (for) home now. Because the tension is high," she added. South Sudan, which gained independence in July 2011, descended into war just two and a half years later when Kiir in December 2013 accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. Numerous attempts to shore up a fragile truce failed, and in a major setback to peace efforts, fierce clashes erupted in Juba on July 8 this year between Kiir's guards and troops loyal to Machar. The international community has expressed deep concerns over a spread in violence since the July clashes, which pushed the number of refugees from the war-scarred nation past the one-million mark, according to the UNHCR. In a further blow to peace hopes, Machar last month urged "a popular armed resistance" against his rival's government. Machar, who fled to Khartoum in the July fighting, on Wednesday left for South Africa for medical tests. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday said it was "extremely concerned over increased reports of violence and armed conflict in various parts of the country in the last few weeks." In the town of Leer, in the north, UNMISS forces reported heavy artillery and gunfire exchanges between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar, leading to an unspecified number of deaths and sending local populations fleeing. In a statement, UNMISS said it had been denied access to an area where some 21 civilians were reportedly killed in an ambush on the road between Juba and the southern city of Yei over the weekend. (AFP)

Tensions mount in South Sudan after Kiir death rumours

South Sudan&#39;s President Salva Kiir announced yesterday that former rebel leader Riek Machar had been replaced as vice president, confirming signs of serious divisions within the opposition. 
 
Kiir said he had appointed Taban Deng Gai to the post on the &quot;recommendation of the top leadership of the SPLM/A (IO)&quot; -- the group Machar heads and which engaged in clashes with government forces in Juba in early July. 
 
Last week Machar said he had fired Deng as minister of mines - a post that was within Machar&#39;s powers to appoint. 
 
Then around 100 SPLM/A (IO) members came out to name Deng as the movement&#39;s leader and by extension the first vice president, because Machar&#39;s absence from the capital meant the post was effectively vacant. 
 
Machar has not been seen in Juba since the clashes earlier this month and has accused the president of trying to have him killed. 
 
In reaction to the show of support for Deng, the &quot;political bureau&quot; of the ex-rebel movement said on Sunday it condemned &quot;in the strongest terms possible the attempt to destabilise the SPLM/A (IO) and destroy the (2015) peace agreement.&quot; 
 
It accused Deng of having a &quot;personal vendetta&quot; against Machar and his supporters of having been &quot;coerced&quot; by the Kiir&#39;s camp. 
 
Machar and Kiir fell out in 2013, little more than two years after South Sudan became independent, when Kiir accused his vice president of plotting against him. 
 
The result was a civil war that killed tens of thousands of people. 
 
The latest is a series of peace agreements was sealed in August 2015. Deng was the chief negotiator for the SPLM/A (IO). 
 
Kiir had given Machar a deadline of Saturday to return to Juba. 
 
But Machar has refused to come back until the deployment of a neutral force of African troops - a plan approved by the African Union but rejected by Kiir. 
 
(AFP)

Taban Deng Gai, who was fired as minister of mines by Machar last week, has been appointed as the new vice-president

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir announced yesterday that former rebel leader Riek Machar had been replaced as vice president, confirming signs of serious divisions within the opposition. Kiir said he had appointed Taban Deng Gai to the post on the "recommendation of the top leadership of the SPLM/A (IO)" -- the group Machar heads and which engaged in clashes with government forces in Juba in early July. Last week Machar said he had fired Deng as minister of mines - a post that was within Machar's powers to appoint. Then around 100 SPLM/A (IO) members came out to name Deng as the movement's leader and by extension the first vice president, because Machar's absence from the capital meant the post was effectively vacant. Machar has not been seen in Juba since the clashes earlier this month and has accused the president of trying to have him killed. In reaction to the show of support for Deng, the "political bureau" of the ex-rebel movement said on Sunday it condemned "in the strongest terms possible the attempt to destabilise the SPLM/A (IO) and destroy the (2015) peace agreement." It accused Deng of having a "personal vendetta" against Machar and his supporters of having been "coerced" by the Kiir's camp. Machar and Kiir fell out in 2013, little more than two years after South Sudan became independent, when Kiir accused his vice president of plotting against him. The result was a civil war that killed tens of thousands of people. The latest is a series of peace agreements was sealed in August 2015. Deng was the chief negotiator for the SPLM/A (IO). Kiir had given Machar a deadline of Saturday to return to Juba. But Machar has refused to come back until the deployment of a neutral force of African troops - a plan approved by the African Union but rejected by Kiir. (AFP)

Riek Machar replaced as South Sudan vice-president

A rift appeared in one of South Sudans two main rival groups today, raising the prospect of further turmoil after months of fighting, as members of one faction threatened to replace their leader. 
 
A group inside the Sudan People&#39;s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO)&nbsp;issued a statement saying its head Riek Machar should return to the capital Juba and carry on his work in the government, or be removed from office. Machar, South Sudan&#39; s vice-president, and his SPLM-IO group, have been caught up with more than two years of on-and-off, ethnically charged fighting with supporters of the country&#39;s President Salva Kiir. 
 
Machar left the capital last week after a fresh outbreak of clashes, saying he would only return when an international body set up a buffer force to separate his forces from Kiirs. 
 
Kiir called on him on Thursday to return to salvage a peace deal, and a faction of Machars own group, led by mining minister Taban Deng Gai, today said they agreed. 
 
&ldquo;The decision by the government to give... Machar an ultimatum is entirely in line with its powers,&quot; said&nbsp;William Ezekiel, spokesman for SPLM-IO faction allied to Gai, told Reuters by phone. &quot;On our side, we want him to show up, otherwise we will replace him.&quot; Machars spokesman, James Gatdet, rebuffed the threats, saaying Gais faction had no official status in the momement. 
 
South Sudan&#39;s politics has long been plagued by splits and rivalries as leaders switch allegiances, in the contest for power and influence in the oil-producing nation, which only emerged from Sudan five years ago. 
 
&ldquo;Machar has communicated to all his military commanders to cut off any communication with General Taban Deng Gai and his few individuals who support the President Kiirs conspiracy,&quot; he said. The two years of fighting started after Kiir sacked Machar as Vice President in 2013 and has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced over two million, many of whom fled to neighbouring countries. 
 
The most recent fighting in Juba has forces 26,000 people to flee to neighbouring Uganda, the UN refugee agency UNHCR&#39;s spokesman Andreas Needham told a news conference in Geneva. 
 
(AFP)

Opposition group says Reik Machar should either carry on with his work in the government from Juba, or be removed from office

A rift appeared in one of South Sudans two main rival groups today, raising the prospect of further turmoil after months of fighting, as members of one faction threatened to replace their leader. A group inside the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) issued a statement saying its head Riek Machar should return to the capital Juba and carry on his work in the government, or be removed from office. Machar, South Sudan' s vice-president, and his SPLM-IO group, have been caught up with more than two years of on-and-off, ethnically charged fighting with supporters of the country's President Salva Kiir. Machar left the capital last week after a fresh outbreak of clashes, saying he would only return when an international body set up a buffer force to separate his forces from Kiirs. Kiir called on him on Thursday to return to salvage a peace deal, and a faction of Machars own group, led by mining minister Taban Deng Gai, today said they agreed. “The decision by the government to give... Machar an ultimatum is entirely in line with its powers," said William Ezekiel, spokesman for SPLM-IO faction allied to Gai, told Reuters by phone. "On our side, we want him to show up, otherwise we will replace him." Machars spokesman, James Gatdet, rebuffed the threats, saaying Gais faction had no official status in the momement. South Sudan's politics has long been plagued by splits and rivalries as leaders switch allegiances, in the contest for power and influence in the oil-producing nation, which only emerged from Sudan five years ago. “Machar has communicated to all his military commanders to cut off any communication with General Taban Deng Gai and his few individuals who support the President Kiirs conspiracy," he said. The two years of fighting started after Kiir sacked Machar as Vice President in 2013 and has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced over two million, many of whom fled to neighbouring countries. The most recent fighting in Juba has forces 26,000 people to flee to neighbouring Uganda, the UN refugee agency UNHCR's spokesman Andreas Needham told a news conference in Geneva. (AFP)

Split appears in South Sudan opposition, threatening more turmoil

The first of the two Indian Air Force C-17s evacuating Indian citizens from war-torn South Sudan landed in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala early this morning. There were 156 people on board, including nine women and children, and two Nepalese citizens.&nbsp; 
 
The plane deboarded a number of evacuees at Thiruvananthapuram, and then continued on to Delhi.&nbsp; 
 
The evacuation -- called Sankat Mochan or &quot;rescue from danger&quot; -- is being headed by India&#39;s minister of state for external affairs General (retd) VK Singh. 
 
A second C-17 is also expected. Both flights took off from Juba, the South Sudanese capital.&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The flight from South Sudan has landed in Delhi. My colleague Shri Vijay Goyal is at the airport to receive them. /1
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/753819071536214016">July 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
 
 
In a tweet, Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said both aircraft will be flying to Delhi via Thiruvananthapuram. 
 
The official spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs (MEA), Vikas Swarup, tweeted that the first aircraft is carrying 143 Indian citizens on board, including 10 women and three infants. 
 
The second aircraft, India&#39;s ambassador to South Sudan Srikumar Sen has reportedly said,&nbsp;is carrying the rest. There were some 600 Indian citizens in South Sudan when the conflict broke out, of which about 300 had registered for the evacuation.&nbsp; 
 
The mass evacuation reportedly faced a hurdle. Some Indian citizens in South Sudan reportedly refused to leave the country, after having registered for the evacuation and despite Swaraj appealing to Indian citizens to leave the country. Swaraj had also tweeted that should the situation deteriorate, the government would not be able to get them out.&nbsp; 
 
South Sudan&#39;s President Salva Kiir called a ceasefire on Monday after five days of intense fighting in Juba between troops loyal to him and those loyal to his deputy, vice president Riek Machar. The fighting, which broke out last Thursday, left more than a 150 dead and countless more injured. 
 
(ANI &amp; PTI)

The C-17 landed in Thiruvananthapuram, deboarded evacuees, and continued on to Delhi

The first of the two Indian Air Force C-17s evacuating Indian citizens from war-torn South Sudan landed in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala early this morning. There were 156 people on board, including nine women and children, and two Nepalese citizens. The plane deboarded a number of evacuees at Thiruvananthapuram, and then continued on to Delhi. The evacuation -- called Sankat Mochan or "rescue from danger" -- is being headed by India's minister of state for external affairs General (retd) VK Singh. A second C-17 is also expected. Both flights took off from Juba, the South Sudanese capital. The flight from South Sudan has landed in Delhi. My colleague Shri Vijay Goyal is at the airport to receive them. /1 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 15, 2016 In a tweet, Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said both aircraft will be flying to Delhi via Thiruvananthapuram. The official spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs (MEA), Vikas Swarup, tweeted that the first aircraft is carrying 143 Indian citizens on board, including 10 women and three infants. The second aircraft, India's ambassador to South Sudan Srikumar Sen has reportedly said, is carrying the rest. There were some 600 Indian citizens in South Sudan when the conflict broke out, of which about 300 had registered for the evacuation. The mass evacuation reportedly faced a hurdle. Some Indian citizens in South Sudan reportedly refused to leave the country, after having registered for the evacuation and despite Swaraj appealing to Indian citizens to leave the country. Swaraj had also tweeted that should the situation deteriorate, the government would not be able to get them out. South Sudan's President Salva Kiir called a ceasefire on Monday after five days of intense fighting in Juba between troops loyal to him and those loyal to his deputy, vice president Riek Machar. The fighting, which broke out last Thursday, left more than a 150 dead and countless more injured. (ANI & PTI)

First rescue flight from South Sudan lands with 156 on board

South Sudan&#39;s President Salva Kiir called on arch-rival Riek Machar on Thursday to meet for talks to salvage peace after days of intense gun battles in the capital Juba. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t want any more bloodshed in South Sudan,&quot; Kiir said, speaking in public for the first time since fighting erupted on Friday. &quot;I want Dr Riek Machar, the first Vice-President of the republic, to be near me, so we can chart the way forward.&quot; 
 
Kiir spoke at the bullet-scarred presidential palace, standing alongside ceasefire monitoring chief Festus Mogae, a former Botswanan president, and African Union special envoy Alpha Oumar Konare, a former president of Mali. 
 
He called for Machar to meet him for talks to save the peace deal but acknowledged the deep mistrust that led to days of intense fighting that has left hundreds dead. 
 
&quot;I talked with Dr Machar today, in the morning, and I asked him to come, but it was difficult for him to accept,&quot; Kiir said, adding that he did not know Machar&#39;s exact whereabouts but that neither he nor his allies were in any danger. 
 
&quot;If there was anyone hunting for them, they could find them,&quot; Kiir said. &quot;I am ready to protect Dr Machar if he comes.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

He calls on arch-rival Machar to meet for talks

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir called on arch-rival Riek Machar on Thursday to meet for talks to salvage peace after days of intense gun battles in the capital Juba. "I don't want any more bloodshed in South Sudan," Kiir said, speaking in public for the first time since fighting erupted on Friday. "I want Dr Riek Machar, the first Vice-President of the republic, to be near me, so we can chart the way forward." Kiir spoke at the bullet-scarred presidential palace, standing alongside ceasefire monitoring chief Festus Mogae, a former Botswanan president, and African Union special envoy Alpha Oumar Konare, a former president of Mali. He called for Machar to meet him for talks to save the peace deal but acknowledged the deep mistrust that led to days of intense fighting that has left hundreds dead. "I talked with Dr Machar today, in the morning, and I asked him to come, but it was difficult for him to accept," Kiir said, adding that he did not know Machar's exact whereabouts but that neither he nor his allies were in any danger. "If there was anyone hunting for them, they could find them," Kiir said. "I am ready to protect Dr Machar if he comes." (AFP)

'I don't want any more bloodshed in South Sudan,' says President Kiir

A heavily-armed Ugandan military convoy crossed into South Sudan today to evacuate citizens trapped in the capital Juba as fears persist that recent days of intense fighting might reignite despite a ceasefire. 
 
The United Nations has warned of tension and the possibility of fresh fighting in Juba, where a ceasefire has held since late Monday. 
 
A convoy of around 50 trucks escorted by machine gun-mounted armoured vehicles crossed the Ugandan border at Nimule to open up a secure corridor for fleeing civilians on the 200 kilometre Juba-Nimule road. 
 
&quot;We plan to go to Juba to extract 3,000 Ugandans stranded by fighting, but that number may grow as we will evacuate anyone who wants to leave,&quot; said Uganda&#39;s army chief Brigadier Leopold Kyanda. 
 
Kyanda said the mission would likely last &quot;two to three days&quot; but an intelligence officer told AFP some Ugandan troops may remain in Juba. 
 
&quot;Why not? We have the capacity to support the government of South Sudan and we were there before,&quot; said the plain-clothed officer accompanying the convoy. 
 
The Ugandan army joined the conflict in South Sudan soon after it began in December 2013, fighting on the side of President Salva Kiir against a rebel force led by Riek Machar, now the country&#39;s vice president. The troops only pulled-out late last year. 
 
While the situation remained calm in Juba on Thursday concerns remain that fighting might flare once again. 
 
&quot;The current situation in the country remains fluid and uncertain,&quot; UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the Security Council late Wednesday. 
 
One city, two armies 
 
Four days of intense battles in the capital left hundreds dead and forced around 40,000 to flee their homes. Aid agencies are warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis with a lack of both water and food. 
 
The recent violence in the capital echoed the fighting that triggered the civil war and marks a fresh blow to last year&#39;s deal to end the bitter conflict that began when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. 
 
Kiir is a member of the Dinka tribe, while Machar is a Nuer, and the dispute has split the country along ethnic lines and caused tens of thousands of deaths. 
 
The August 2015 agreement paved the way for Machar&#39;s return to the capital in late April to take up the deputy post in a so-called unity government. 
 
Machar&#39;s return with a 1,400-strong bodyguard meant there were two hostile armies in the city. A shoot-out between Kiir&#39;s and Machar&#39;s guard units triggered the fighting that began on Friday afternoon. 
 
It appears that Kiir&#39;s forces - which outnumbered Machar&#39;s in both troops and heavy weaponry in the city - dominated the battles, with Ladsous stating they were in &quot;full control&quot; of the capital while Machar&#39;s former rebels were &quot;scattered&quot; nearby along the city&#39;s western outskirts. 
 
&quot;Further clashes, therefore, cannot be ruled out,&quot; he said. 
 
Outside Juba there were reports of fighting in the towns of Leer in Unity State and Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal and of army and rebel forces mobilising around Malakal in Upper Nile. 
 
&quot;We remain very worried about the potential for the resumption of violence and spill-over into other parts of the country,&quot; said Ladsous. 
 
Commercial flights resumed to Juba on Thursday morning, with planes arriving almost empty and leaving full of people desperate to get out of the city. 
 
Specially chartered evacuation flights have been taking foreign nationals out of the country since Wednesday. 
 
(AFP)

Four days of intense battles in the capital have left hundreds dead and forced around 40,000 to flee their homes

A heavily-armed Ugandan military convoy crossed into South Sudan today to evacuate citizens trapped in the capital Juba as fears persist that recent days of intense fighting might reignite despite a ceasefire. The United Nations has warned of tension and the possibility of fresh fighting in Juba, where a ceasefire has held since late Monday. A convoy of around 50 trucks escorted by machine gun-mounted armoured vehicles crossed the Ugandan border at Nimule to open up a secure corridor for fleeing civilians on the 200 kilometre Juba-Nimule road. "We plan to go to Juba to extract 3,000 Ugandans stranded by fighting, but that number may grow as we will evacuate anyone who wants to leave," said Uganda's army chief Brigadier Leopold Kyanda. Kyanda said the mission would likely last "two to three days" but an intelligence officer told AFP some Ugandan troops may remain in Juba. "Why not? We have the capacity to support the government of South Sudan and we were there before," said the plain-clothed officer accompanying the convoy. The Ugandan army joined the conflict in South Sudan soon after it began in December 2013, fighting on the side of President Salva Kiir against a rebel force led by Riek Machar, now the country's vice president. The troops only pulled-out late last year. While the situation remained calm in Juba on Thursday concerns remain that fighting might flare once again. "The current situation in the country remains fluid and uncertain," UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the Security Council late Wednesday. One city, two armies Four days of intense battles in the capital left hundreds dead and forced around 40,000 to flee their homes. Aid agencies are warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis with a lack of both water and food. The recent violence in the capital echoed the fighting that triggered the civil war and marks a fresh blow to last year's deal to end the bitter conflict that began when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. Kiir is a member of the Dinka tribe, while Machar is a Nuer, and the dispute has split the country along ethnic lines and caused tens of thousands of deaths. The August 2015 agreement paved the way for Machar's return to the capital in late April to take up the deputy post in a so-called unity government. Machar's return with a 1,400-strong bodyguard meant there were two hostile armies in the city. A shoot-out between Kiir's and Machar's guard units triggered the fighting that began on Friday afternoon. It appears that Kiir's forces - which outnumbered Machar's in both troops and heavy weaponry in the city - dominated the battles, with Ladsous stating they were in "full control" of the capital while Machar's former rebels were "scattered" nearby along the city's western outskirts. "Further clashes, therefore, cannot be ruled out," he said. Outside Juba there were reports of fighting in the towns of Leer in Unity State and Wau in Western Bahr el Ghazal and of army and rebel forces mobilising around Malakal in Upper Nile. "We remain very worried about the potential for the resumption of violence and spill-over into other parts of the country," said Ladsous. Commercial flights resumed to Juba on Thursday morning, with planes arriving almost empty and leaving full of people desperate to get out of the city. Specially chartered evacuation flights have been taking foreign nationals out of the country since Wednesday. (AFP)

Ceasefire holds in South Sudan, but fears of fresh fighting persist

The death toll from fighting in South Sudan&#39;s capital Juba has climbed to 272 people, including 33 civilians, a source at the country&#39;s ministry of health told Reuters today. 
 
The fighting broke out last week between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar. Both men have said they did not know what had triggered the latest violence between their factions. 
 
(Reuters)

33 were civilians, a source at the country's health ministry told Reuters

The death toll from fighting in South Sudan's capital Juba has climbed to 272 people, including 33 civilians, a source at the country's ministry of health told Reuters today. The fighting broke out last week between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar. Both men have said they did not know what had triggered the latest violence between their factions. (Reuters)

Death toll from fighting in South Sudan capital Juba climbs to 272 people