China urges personnel’s safety in South Sudan

United Nations – China has called on all parties of South Sudan to take effective measures to stop violence, protect civilians, and ensure personnel’s safety, Xinhua reported.

Liu Jieyi, China’s permanent representative to the UN, after the UN Security Council’s closed-door consultation on South Sudan, said the council is closely watching the developments in South Sudan.

He said the UNSC supported the efforts of the UN and the African Union which seek to reach a dialogue between all parties of the country to realise peaceful resolution, said

“The members of the Security Council expressed grave alarm and concern regarding the rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan,” said a press statement issued after the consultation.

“The council strongly condemned the attacks on oil installations, which resulted in heavy loss of life of oil workers, and called upon all parties to ensure the security of economic infrastructures and the safety of the employees.”

Meanwhile, the UN mission to South Sudan has condemned Thursday’s attack on its base in which two Indian peacekeepers and at least 11 civilians were killed, BBC reported.

The perpetrators of the “heinous crime” in Akobo, Jonglei state, must be brought to justice, the Unmiss said.

At least 500 people are believed to have died since last weekend in the world’s youngest country, where an estimated 34,000 people have now taken refuge at UN compounds.