The U.S. government has instructed its non-emergency personnel in South Sudan to evacuate due to security risks, as announced by the State Department on Sunday.
The State Department highlighted that armed conflict persists, involving clashes among various political and ethnic factions, with weapons widely accessible to the populace.
On Saturday, the United Nations human rights agency reported that escalating violence and political tensions in South Sudan pose a significant threat to the delicate peace process.
Earlier this month, security forces loyal to President Salva Kiir detained two ministers and several senior military officials associated with Riek Machar.
These arrests have heightened concerns regarding the stability of the 2018 peace agreement, which concluded a five-year civil war between Kiir’s and Machar’s forces, resulting in nearly 400,000 fatalities.
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The State Department noted that violent crimes such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are prevalent across South Sudan, including in the capital, Juba.
The region is extremely hazardous for journalists and U.S. government personnel, who are subject to a strict curfew and are required to travel in armored vehicles for most of their movements.
