S Sudan army begins withdrawal from Juba
Juba - The South Sudanese army, loyal to President Salva Kiir,
said on Monday it had begun withdrawing from the capital
Juba ahead of a peace deal deadline agreed with the rebels of
former deputy president Riek Machar.
The peace accord, signed on August 26, requires the
withdrawal of all military forces within a 25km radius of the
city within 90 days, a period which ends later this week.
But the late start of the army pull-out means a full withdrawal
won't be completed by the agreed date.
The South Sudanese army "is implementing the security
arrangements and the ceasefire agreement that stipulated the
redeployment of forces from Juba to a distance of 25km
outside Juba town," army spokesperson Colonel Philip Aguer
told reporters.
"This has started today by SPLA [South Sudan's national
army] headquarters redeployment of ground forces from Juba,
starting with 250 that are heading to Mogiri" 25km northeast of
Juba, he added.
Also Read: Black boxes in S Sudan air crash recovered –
report
Aguer assured that the army "is 100% committed to the peace
agreement and particularly to the ceasefire".
However he added that the troop withdrawal would not be
completed in the allotted time.
"Most of the process of redeployment of forces, creation of
camps, should have been completed by the end of December,"
he added.
South Sudan's latest civil war began in December 2013 when
Kiir accused his sacked deputy Machar of planning a coup.
The fighting quickly spread beyond the capital and has been
characterised by ethnic attacks, massacres of civilians,
recruitment of child soldiers, rape and other war crimes.
The conflict has triggered a humanitarian crisis with 2.3
million people forced from their homes and 4.6 million in need
of emergency food. Tens of thousands have died and the
economy has all but collapsed.
The peace deal also foresees a 30-month "transition period"
with the two sides sharing power.
Elections would then follow, theoretically in early 2018.
But so far the rebels have failed to send any delegates to
Juba, delaying the political side of the deal.
South Sudan is the world's youngest nation, having ceded
from Sudan and proclaimed its independence in July 2011.
- AFP
said on Monday it had begun withdrawing from the capital
Juba ahead of a peace deal deadline agreed with the rebels of
former deputy president Riek Machar.
The peace accord, signed on August 26, requires the
withdrawal of all military forces within a 25km radius of the
city within 90 days, a period which ends later this week.
But the late start of the army pull-out means a full withdrawal
won't be completed by the agreed date.
The South Sudanese army "is implementing the security
arrangements and the ceasefire agreement that stipulated the
redeployment of forces from Juba to a distance of 25km
outside Juba town," army spokesperson Colonel Philip Aguer
told reporters.
"This has started today by SPLA [South Sudan's national
army] headquarters redeployment of ground forces from Juba,
starting with 250 that are heading to Mogiri" 25km northeast of
Juba, he added.
Also Read: Black boxes in S Sudan air crash recovered –
report
Aguer assured that the army "is 100% committed to the peace
agreement and particularly to the ceasefire".
However he added that the troop withdrawal would not be
completed in the allotted time.
"Most of the process of redeployment of forces, creation of
camps, should have been completed by the end of December,"
he added.
South Sudan's latest civil war began in December 2013 when
Kiir accused his sacked deputy Machar of planning a coup.
The fighting quickly spread beyond the capital and has been
characterised by ethnic attacks, massacres of civilians,
recruitment of child soldiers, rape and other war crimes.
The conflict has triggered a humanitarian crisis with 2.3
million people forced from their homes and 4.6 million in need
of emergency food. Tens of thousands have died and the
economy has all but collapsed.
The peace deal also foresees a 30-month "transition period"
with the two sides sharing power.
Elections would then follow, theoretically in early 2018.
But so far the rebels have failed to send any delegates to
Juba, delaying the political side of the deal.
South Sudan is the world's youngest nation, having ceded
from Sudan and proclaimed its independence in July 2011.
- AFP
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