South Sudan government backs protest against foreign troops

This week African leaders have backed plans to deploy regional troops to South Sudan after recent fighting between rival forces left hundreds of people dead.

Three European countries that evacuated UN police from South Sudan without consulting the United Nations have been told that their officers are no longer welcome in the peacekeeping mission, officials said Wednesday. The renewed fighting between forces loyal to the two leaders claimed at least 270 lives and threw the agreement into turmoil. In the latest fighting, another was killed in Juba.

Machar left the capital last week after a new outbreak of clashes, saying he would only return when an global body set up a buffer force to separate his forces from Kiir’s.

The protesters marched to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) premises and handed over their petition, protesting against a proposal by the AU for the deployment of regional peace keeping troops to the war-torn country, Xinhua reported.

“I am appealing for your return while reiterating my 100 percent commitment to ensuring your protection and overall security…”

Despite the August 2015 peace deal, battles persist across the country as there are numerous militia forces that do not abide by peace agreements and are driven by local agendas. South Sudan, which has sub-Saharan Africa’s third-biggest crude reserves, is producing as little as 120,000 barrels a day because of the conflict that began in December 2013. “We need peace because we were in the displacement camp for more than two years”, said Tut.

“It is an unreasonable ultimatum”, said James Gatdet Dak, Machar’s spokesman. “We will not respond” to the call of President Salva Kiir.

Taban Deng Gai, former opposition chief negotiator and Mining minister in the unity government declared that they have agreed to back President Kiir’s stance and oppose the foreign military intervention.

Matt Moody, spokesperson for the U.K.’s mission to the United Nations, said in a statement Thursday that the U.K. temporarily withdrew two police officers from the mission because of the serious violence that was taking place in Juba at the time.