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Sexual violence reports in South Sudan "deeply disturbing": UN spokesman

Xinhua, July 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) continued "to receive deeply disturbing reports of sexual violence" in South Sudan, and stepped up patrol to protect civilians in the world's youngest country, a UN spokesman told reporters here Wednesday.

The reports included "rape and gang rape, by soldiers in uniform and men in plain clothes against civilians, including minors, around UN House and in other areas of Juba," the capital of the war-torn country, Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here.

Since the start of the current violence in Juba, UNMISS has documented at least 120 cases of sexual violence and rape against civilians, Haq said. "It has stepped up its patrols in and around the Protection of Civilians sites, as well as in Juba city."

In addition, mitigating measures are in place where UNMISS force provides protection at designated times to women when they have to go out of the Protection of Civilians sites to collect firewood and procure other non-food items, he said.

"We have called on all parties to the conflict to take personal responsibility for the immediate sanctioning of their soldiers involved in these unspeakable acts of violence," Haq added.

UN officials said that the situation in South Sudan remains fluid and uncertain. The clashes between government and opposition forces took place in Juba early this month, leaving some 272 people dead, including 33 civilians.

The country again plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings. Endit