South Sudan rebels get emergency UN aid in DR Congo
Thursday September 08 2016
Sudan People's Liberation Army-in opposition (SPLA-IO) soldiers gather at a containment site in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, on April 7, 2016. More than 100 fighters loyal to South Sudan's sacked vice-president Riek Machar have been found "in extremely bad shape" by the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo and have been evacuated by helicopter to receive medical treatment. AFP PHOTO | CHARLES LOMODONG
More than 100 fighters loyal to South Sudan's sacked vice-president Riek Machar have been found "in extremely bad shape" by the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They were discovered near the border and have been evacuated by helicopter to receive medical treatment.
Fighting between rival forces in Juba in July left hundreds of people dead less than a year after a peace deal was signed.
Mr Machar, who had joined a unity government, fled - and was also aided by the UN in DR Congo a few weeks ago.
READ: Machar seeks treatment in DR Congo
South Sudan has suffered more than two years of civil war since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.
Political differences between the Mr Machar and Mr Kiir men ignited a civil war in December 2013 - and they only agreed to settle their differences under intense international pressure, signing a peace deal in August 2015.
Mr Machar had only returned to Juba in April and was dismissed in the wake of the July clashes.
After receiving medical treatment in DR Congo in August, he was flown to Sudan's capital, Khartoum, where he remains after being discharged from hospital.
His soldiers, who had crossed into DR Congo, were found in an area around the Garamba National Park by UN peacekeepers, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Following UN pressure last week, Mr Kiir has now agreed to the deployment of a 4,000-strong regional protection force for Juba which would have a more robust mandate than the 12,000 UN soldiers already in the country.
This was a key request of Mr Machar, who said he wanted a neutral force to guarantee his safety.
But US officials are now saying that they do not believe Mr Machar should return to his post.
"Given all that has happened, we do not believe it would be wise for Machar to return to his previous position in Juba," US special envoy Donald Booth told a congressional subcommittee on Wednesday.
"But this cannot become a justification for President Kiir to monopolise power and stifle dissenting political voices," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.