Roundup: UN, African leaders condemn violence, urge end of fighting in South Sudan

The United Nations, African regional bloc IGAD and African countries have called on South Sudan's warring parties to stop the escalating fighting in capital Juba that has claimed hundreds of lives.

Civilians, police, government and former rebel soldiers, and at least three UN peacekeepers were among the causalities whose exact number could not be confirmed at the moment.

After an emergency meeting on Sunday, the 15-nation UN Security Council issued a statement to condemn the attacks and express condolences to the families of the peacekeepers.

It warned that attacks against civilians and UN premises and personnel may constitute "war crimes" and assailants must be held accountable and could be subject to sanctions.

The council urged an immediate end to the fighting in South Sudan, demanding President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar do their utmost to control their respective forces and genuinely implement their peace agreement, "including the permanent cease-fire and redeployment of military forces from Juba."

Earlier Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked and appalled by the heavy fighting" in Juba, and strongly urged the leaders of the youngest country in the world to "do everything within their power" to de-escalate the hostilities.

"This senseless violence is unacceptable and has the potential of reversing the progress made so far in the peace process," said the UN chief.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-nation East African bloc, has also urged concerned parties to refrain from violent acts in South Sudan.

"IGAD condemns in the strongest terms possible these violent acts which have once again placed the long suffering people of South Sudan in unspeakable harm's way," said the statement.

"IGAD abhors the loss of lives and fears for civilian casualties if the situation is not contained immediately, and urges all concerned to exercise restraint and demonstrate true leadership by doing all they can to stop the violence," it said.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir urged the two parties in the conflict in South Sudan to exercise self-restraint and stop the fighting which started last week in the capital Juba, official SUNA news agency reported Sunday.

Al-Bashir made the remarks during telephone conversations with South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice-President Riek Machar, the report said.

The president reiterated the importance of ending the bloodshed so as not to drag the area to tribal and political conflicts that would cripple the procession of peace and development of South Sudan.

In a statement, the Sudanese government expressed deep concern over the conflicts in South Sudan.

"Sudan government would like to express its deep concern over the recent unfortunate events which took place in the sisterly Republic of South Sudan, and which led to military clashes that resulted in the killings of a great number of people from both parties in the conflict, disturbed the security and created a state of instability," said Sudan's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

South African President Jacob Zuma on Monday expressed great concern over the shooting incidences that took place in the past few days in South Sudan.

These shooting incidences threaten to draw back the promising gains made through the compromised Peace Agreement and the recently formed Transitional Government of National Unity, Zuma said in a statement.

Meanwhile, foreign ministers from member states of East African bloc IGAD are due to meet in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Monday over the crisis in South Sudan.

An official from Kenya's foreign ministry told Xinhua on Sunday the ministers would discuss ways of ending the fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar.

IGAD groups Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.

The rival factions clashed in Juba on Friday, killing at least 271 people, among them 32 civilians and 234 soldiers from both sides. Heavy fighting resumed on Sunday and continued on Monday.

South Sudan gained independence on July 9, 2011 from Sudan after more than two decades of war. In December 2013, Kiir accused his deputy Machar of plotting a coup, which was denied by the latter but led to a cycle of retaliatory killings.

In August 2015, Kiir and Machar, who was a former rebel leader, signed a peace deal which paved the way for the formation of a transitional unity government. Endit