Highlight
Fresh fighting erupted in South Sudan’s Unity State amid ongoing United Nations summit in New York in support of implementing the peace agreement signed in August by the rival parties to end the 21-month long conflict.
Summary
The clashes in Unity State erupted a few hours before the meeting that was scheduled between President Salva Kiir and former political ally turned armed opposition leader Riek Machar.
Kiir was on Tuesday 29th September scheduled participate through a video link, in the meeting in which Machar and othe officials would attend in person in New York.
On the same day, there erupted fierce battle on the positions held by the government forces in Leer County in Unity state after rebels attacked the base.
The purpose of the meeting in New York is to hear from the rival leaders their plans and commitments to implementing the peace agreement which they have signed.
The world powers are committed to ensure peace prevails in South Sudan. This follows a concern that the worrying situation in the country has caused people to flee their homes and cause humanitarian crisis in their host countries especially the West.
The British Prime Minister David Cameroon told reporters that Britain would send close to 400 soldiers to help train and advise the12, 000 peacekeeping troops in South Sudan.
The UK troops will provide medical, logistical and engineering support and not be involved in front line combat operations.
South Sudan government is however skeptical about the move to deploy foreign troops, saying Sudan is capable of handling its own challenges. The deteriorating humanitarian situation and the fresh attacks however communicate the opposite, creating the general need for impartial peace overseers.
