The United States demanded an immediate end to renewed fighting in the capital of South Sudan, ordering all non-essential personnel out of the troubled country.
“The United States strongly condemns the latest outbreak of fighting in Juba today between forces aligned with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar Teny, including reports we have that civilian sites may have been attacked,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “In response to ongoing violence in South Sudan, the Department of State ordered on Monday the departure of non-emergency personnel from the US Embassy in Juba.”
Urging Americans in the country to take security precautions, he warned that “the embassy’s ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Juba is extremely limited.”
The battles are the first between the army and ex-rebels in Juba since rebel leader Machar returned to take up the post of Vice-President in a unity Government in April, under an accord to end a bloody civil war.