1st LD Writethru: UN chief "strongly condemns" hostilities in South Sudan

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Wednesday strongly condemned the escalation of hostilities in the past 10 days between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition and their allied forces in South Sudan, according to a statement of a UN spokesperson.

"He (the secretary general) is appalled by the reports of human rights violations committed by the SPLA and their allied forces, including the burning of villages, and the killing and rape of civilians, in the course of their military operations in Unity State," said the spokesperson in the statement.

Since the conflict in South Sudan broke out two years ago, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate with dozens of children having been killed or raped in Unity state, one of the ten states of the African nation, in the past two weeks, according to the United Nations Children's Fund.

The secretary general also deplored the death of four internally displaced persons (IDPs) caught in the cross-fire in the protection of civilians site within the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) compound in Melut, said the spokesperson.

"He demands that immediate national investigations be conducted so that those responsible for these crimes are held accountable by their respective leadership," said the spokesperson.

The UN chief underscored that this fighting is unacceptable. It is part of a series of violations of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed by the parties on Jan. 23, 2014 and undermined the ongoing Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in South Sudan, according to the statement.

Therefore, the secretary general called upon President Salva Kiir and former Vice-President Riek Machar to immediately cease all military operations and reminded them of their obligations to protect civilians under international human rights and humanitarian law. Endite