South Sudan sacks 40 overseas diplomats for going AWOL

South Sudan President Salva Kiir. Juba has sacked 40 overseas diplomats for not showing up for work. PHOTO | REUTERS

South Sudan said Thursday it had sacked 40 overseas diplomats for not showing up for work, some of them for years.

The foreign ministry in Juba said it had tried in vain "to engage with these diplomats who went Absent Without Appointed Leave (AWOL) over the past few months and years", including some posted to embassies in the United States and United Kingdom.