South Sudan denies ordering expulsion of regional forces
August 22, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan denied on Tuesday a plan to cancel the deployment and expulsion of the regional protection forces, attributing the standoff to the location in their deployment.
“The top management of the United Nations mission in South Sudan had accepted to relocate the forces which it deployed at its base in Thongpiny. This was not their designated place of deployment. They were given a place on Yei road and the mission accepted,” Lomuro told reporters in the capital, Juba.
He added, “So it was a surprising development when the government was informed of the deployment of some forces of the regional protection at the airport”.
The minister urged citizens not to react negatively towards the world body.
“The Security Council which was chaired by his Excellency has come out with a clear map to resolving the matter and has been resolved amicably. And I and the minister of information convened a meeting with the diplomats and heads of international organizations as well as the some senior members of the United Nations and briefed them. So there is no problem,” further clarified the minister.
Lomuro also said flights of the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) had also resumed operations after they obtained clearance.
“They are now allowed to fly to wherever they want to go. They resumed flying out and into Juba on Monday”, added the minister.
Lomuro said the security meeting the president chaired on Sunday, did not order for expulsion of the regional protection but expressed concern over the manner in which the deployment was made without the knowledge and approval of the government.
President Salva Kiir had earlier warned that his government could reconsider its decision on the deployment of regional forces mandated by the UN Security Council.
“They [regional protection forces] have come and the way they have started is already becoming a matter of concern. They want to deploy at the airport. They also want whatever they bring into the country not to be checked,” he said on Sunday.
In August 2016, the UN Security Council, following a request by the East African regional bloc (IGAD), approved the deployment of a 4,000-strong protection force to secure Juba in the aftermath of renewed clashes that occurred in the capital in July.
South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity confirmed its unconditional consent to the deployment of the regional forces in a communiqué to the UN Security Council on November 30, 2016.
It remains unclear what prompted the South Sudan leader to make such warnings, a week after the first batch of regional protection forces arrived in the country.
Despite the August 2015 peace agreement, South Sudan slipped back into conflict due to renewed clashes between rival forces – the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Kiir and the armed opposition backing former First Vice-President Riek Machar.
(ST)