U.S. on Thursday 17th November 2016 launched a bid at UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan.
The call comes after UN recently warned that the war-torn country could plunge into genocide.
US Ambassador Samantha Power said a draft resolution expected to be presented to the UNSC in the coming days to ban the sale of weapons to the world youngest nation and also impose sanctions.
UNSC permanent veto-welding member states, France and Britain backed the U.S. proposal on arms embargo on South Sudan but Russia reaffirmed its opposition to the call. So far China has expressed reservations on the matter.
Russian Deputy Ambassador Petr Iliichev dismissed an arms embargo as "premature," saying it would "hardly be helpful in settling the conflict".
Recently, UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned that South Sudan faces a real risk of mass atrocities saying even the 14,000 peacekeepers deployed in the country would not be able to contain such a eventuality.
Power blamed South Sudan leaders who have failed to reconcile and implement the August 2015 peace deal.
South Sudan plunged into war in December 2013, leaving tens of thousands dead and more than 2.5 million people displaced.
A peace deal between President Salva Kiir and rebel/opposition leader Riek Machar in August 2015 had sparked hopes of peace, until clashes erupted in Juba four months ago.
