South Sudan has committed serious abuses against and failed to protect civilians in its anti-insurgency campaign, Human Rights Watch said today.
According to the rights group, Soldiers conflict with the rebels have caused thousands of civilians to flee, consequently making them vulnerable to the recent large scale ethnic attacks in the region.
Highlighting the failure of the army to protect the civilians, Human Rights Watch urged President Salva Kiir to publicly condemn the attacks and ensure that authorities and military officials immediately investigate and identify all those responsible, whether they are government officials or abusive soldiers.
Voicing concern over the escalating situation in South Sudan, Africa director at Human Rights Watch, Daniel Bekele stated,
“Yet again the government of South Sudan has utterly failed to stop armed Lou Nuer youth from moving into ethnic Murle areas, despite advance warnings that they were mobilising.”
“This failure, together with a spate of serious abuses by soldiers in the area, only reinforces the perception that South Sudan’s leaders are taking sides in this ethnic conflict.”
