The world tries to "save" South Sudan from civil war

The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote today, December 24 (US time), on a draft resolution to increase the number of troops for the UN Mission in South Sudan. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir also announced his readiness to unconditionally dialogue with former Vice President Riek Machar to end the current violence.

Rebels in South Sudan. Photo: NationalTurk

Despite President Salva Kiir’s call for dialogue, fighting continues to escalate between South Sudan’s army and rebels supporting Vice President Machar in many areas. The US and many other countries are working to evacuate their citizens from conflict areas, while expressing concern that the tense developments could push the world’s youngest nation back into the civil war it once had before it separated from Sudan.

Speaking before the National Assembly yesterday (December 23), President Salva Kiir expressed his gratitude to the ministers who supported him in his efforts to stop the conflict, and regretted that the people of South Sudan could not enjoy a peaceful Christmas holiday like in previous years.

“I wish all our people a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” President Kiir said. “But this Christmas will not be as joyous as in previous years, because we celebrate Christmas when many people have lost their lives in the current conflict. We are being undermined by forces that are hungry for power and want to seize power through a coup.”

Amid escalating conflict in South Sudan, the United Nations and several countries are considering sending more troops to the country. The Security Council also held urgent consultations on the situation in South Sudan to consider UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's request for more peacekeeping troops to South Sudan.

Speaking to the press at the United Nations headquarters, French Ambassador to the United Nations Gerard Araud said: “UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent a letter recommending the UN Security Council deploy an additional 5,500 troops and 423 police to reinforce the UN Mission in South Sudan. The US has drafted a resolution on this issue and has received a positive response from Security Council members. This document is being discussed and is expected to be voted on today.”

The US military has also deployed about 150 Marines to a base in the Horn of Africa to prepare for possible further evacuations of US citizens from the African country, US officials said. A US Marine Corps rapid response team has been moved from Moron Air Base in Spain to a Marine Corps base in Djibouti, allowing the US to deploy troops to South Sudan more quickly if required.

The escalating conflict in South Sudan threatens to plunge the country into a serious humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of people killed and more than 20,000 displaced from the capital Juba since violence erupted more than a week ago. In response, the European Commission yesterday announced that it would provide 50 million euros in humanitarian aid to South Sudan. Egypt has also decided to send a special envoy to South Sudan in an effort to help the government close the gap with rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar, who have been fighting fiercely with the government army in recent days, and to consider implementing humanitarian assistance measures for South Sudanese people displaced by the violence.

Tensions have been escalating in South Sudan since July, when President Salva Kiir sacked Vice President Machar and his entire cabinet. The move sparked tensions between Salva Kiir’s Dinka community and Machar’s Nuer community. The death toll, including soldiers and civilians, has now reached hundreds. South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, having gained independence from Sudan two years ago after a two-decade civil war that killed 2 million people.

According to VOV