South Sudan’s vice president and former rebel leader Riek Machar has welcomed African Union’s decision to deploy a joint force to help stabilize the war-torn country.
The Africa’s youngest country fell into fresh turmoil after forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and with those loyal to Riek Machar clashed.
The conflict has caused internal displacement of citizens especially in Juba. Counties such as US, India, Kenya and Uganda have evacuated their citizens.
UA summit in Kigali on Tuesday directed that a force comprising of troops from Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda and Ethiopia be dispatched to South Sudan.
The directive followed a meeting between President Museveni of Uganda and UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon in Kigali during which the Ugandan leader called for urgent deployment of AU joint force to contain the conflict in South Sudan.
President Salva Kiir has been opposing the deployment of the AU force with his Vice President Riek Machar accusing him of not interested in realizing peace for South Sudan people.
Reacting to African Union’s plans to deploy regional forces in the country, Dr Riek Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak said the opposition is supportive of the deployment.
“The position of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) is very clear that we support the proposed deployment of a third force in the national capital, Juba,” said Dak.
