UN threatens South Sudan with arms embargo
The United Nations has demanded an immediate end to fighting in South Sudan, warning the country’s warring political sides it will consider an arms embargo if violations of a ceasefire continue.
Calls for an arms embargo to be placed on the world’s youngest nation are intensifying as both government forces and rebel fighters continue to clash across South Sudan, despite a ceasefire being signed in December.
UN to consider arms embargo
The latest UN resolution, which went public on Thursday, extends the mandate of the UN’s peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. The organisation’s forces will now stay in the war-torn country until March 15, 2019, which involves up to 17,000 troops at any one time, including a regional protection force of as many as 4,000 troops and 2,101 international police officers.
In the same resolution, the UN also “expresses its intention to consider all measures, including an arms embargo, as appropriate, to deprive the parties of the means to continue fighting and to prevent violations [of the peace process]”.
South Sudan criticises UN
South Sudan’s deputy UN ambassador Joseph Moum Malok criticised the latest resolution, saying it is “unfortunate that the council chooses to politicise the peacekeeping resolution.”
He reminded the UN that the country’s government was elected democratically, urging the council to respect Kiir’s leadership and work with the country to find a political solution to its ongoing security issues.
“It is one thing to condemn the leadership of the country and another to threaten the imposition of an arms embargo and sanctions,” Malok said. “The only solution to the conflict in South Sudan is through a political process.”
Featured image: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=829476
