Former South Sudan vice president Riek Machar and incumbent President Salva Kiir
from RAJI BASHIR in Khartoum, Sudan
KHARTOUM, (CAJ News) – A SPATE of killings, rape and kidnappings has been reported in South Sudan ahead of the deadline of the formation of the unity government this coming weekend.
The ruling party and opposition must have an inclusive government in place by Saturday.
David Shearer, the humanitarian head in South Sudan, said the situation had remained fragile particularly in the town of Abyei, which is under dispute with neighbouring Sudan.
The above mentioned serious crimes had been documented late January.
The worst violence led to the death of at least 35 members of the Dinka ethnic group allegedly at the hands of nomadic livestock herders.
Five individuals from the nomadic Misseriya ethnic group, suspected to be linked to the attack, were captured.
“Prior to that, only occasional armed attacks, mostly linked to criminality, as well as the periodic alleged presence of armed elements, were reported,” the nevoy said.
In December, a group of armed men, who were suspected to be the Misseriya, attacked a village and burned down four houses, without any casualties.
In addition to the aforementioned incidents, the movement of armed men reported by the local population remained a source of concern, as committed crimes, such as cattle rustling, murder and kidnapping before subsequently exiting Abyei.
The world’s newest country, South Sudan, spilled into a civil war in 2013, two years after attaining autonomy from Sudan.
About 400 000 people are estimated to have been killed during the conflict.
More than 4 million, about half of the total population, have been displaced.
– CAJ News