A recent attack on a UN helicopter in South Sudan during a troop evacuation resulted in multiple deaths, raising concerns over potential war crimes and escalating violence in the region.
Tragedy Strikes as UN Helicopter Targeted in South Sudan Conflict
Tragedy Strikes as UN Helicopter Targeted in South Sudan Conflict
Deadly incident highlights deteriorating security and rising tensions in South Sudan as UN mission attempts evacuation of troops.
A tragic attack on a United Nations helicopter in South Sudan has resulted in the deaths of several individuals, amid an urgent evacuation of soldiers from a conflict-ridden area. The UN mission in South Sudan, known as Unmiss, confirmed the death of one crew member, alongside the killings of an injured South Sudanese general and several soldiers during the incident in Upper Nile state.
The UN has stated that this attack could be classified as a war crime. Following the incident, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir noted that a second helicopter managed to depart but later crashed, killing all its occupants. However, Unmiss maintained that both of its aircraft landed safely in Malakal.
According to Information Minister Michael Makuei, the total number of South Sudanese soldiers killed in the ongoing conflict has risen to twenty-seven. This surge in violence poses a significant threat to a fragile peace deal established between Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar in 2018, which followed a devastating civil war triggered by their discord in 2013, claiming roughly 400,000 lives.
The current hostilities in Upper Nile stem from clashes between government forces and the White Army, an ethnic militia aligned with Machar during the previous conflict. Unmiss has been conducting evacuations for wounded troops based on a prior agreement with both the government and the White Army.
Nicholas Haysom, head of Unmiss, condemned the attack on the mission’s personnel as “utterly abhorrent,” expressing condolences for the losses suffered. President Kiir identified the deceased general as Gen Majur Dak, stationed in the conflict area of Nasir.
Amid the violence, there are rising concerns about the potential return to a full-scale war as government arrests of Machar’s allies have intensified. In response to the situation, President Kiir urged citizens to maintain calm, asserting that his administration would address the crisis and ensure that the country does not revert to conflict.
As the world’s newest nation, having seceded from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan continues to grapple with its fragile peace and the consequences of ongoing violence.
