This Week in South Sudan – Week 39

Monday 26 September

• Nearly 40 aid workers, the majority from UN agencies, have been evacuated from Jazeera and Nhialdu in Unity State due to deteriorating security.

Tuesday 27 September

• A faction of the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Cobra Faction has again vowed to wage war against the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) citing failure to implement key provisions of the 2014 peace agreement. More than 5,000 Murle soldiers under Gen. John Welarum’s command has defected from the SPLA and joined the SSDM-Cobra Faction led by Khalid Boutros, who also defected.

Wednesday 28 September

• The US State Department, strongly condemned Riek Machar’s call for a return to war against President Salva Kiir’s government, saying it was ‘inexcusable’.
• GOSS has presented an official complaint to the Sudanese government over Machar’s political activities in Khartoum.
• Al Jazeera: “Educating girls in South Sudan”

Thursday 29 September

• The African Union stressed the necessity of reaching an enhanced coordination between its Peace and Security Council, IGAD and the UN Security Council and its African non-permanent members, in order to agree on the Regional Protection Forces’ (RPF) deployment details and measures.

Friday 30 September

• The UNHCR reports that 100,000 people are effectively trapped by violence in Yei town, Central Equatoria State.
• US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power met with Taban Deng Gai in New York to discuss the peace implementation.
• IRIN: “Pregnant and homeless: South Sudan’s women refugees”

Saturday 1 October

• The SPLA (IO) claimed they had captured Morobo town in Central Equatoria, but later withdrew from both the Morobo and Kaya The SPLA denied any clashes in Morobo county.
• GOSS has, in a shift from its previous position, eventually accepted the deployment of the RPF authorized by the UN Security Council to protect Juba airport and other vital installations.
• The South Sudanese cabinet approved a 22 billion SSP budget for the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years.