The UN said it does not have adequate air means to monitor interethnic violence between rival youth armies in Pibor, Jonglei State.
The United Mission in South Sudan or UNMISS issued a statement on Thursday decrying that its ‘mobility continues to be hampered by inadequate air assets, which severely limit its capability to detect violence occurring in inaccessible rural areas.’
The mission said ‘it was not on an immediate position to confirm details about numbers or locations of the mobilized youth and associated clashes’ that are taking place in Pibor County between thousands of well armed Lou Nuer and Murle youths.
UNMISS said to be ‘deeply concerned about reports of a major mobilization of armed youth moving towards Pibor County in Jonglei State and reported clashes.’
The peacekeepers urged leaders of all communities to call for restraint and to do their utmost to stop the situation from deteriorating further and commit to renewed dialogue and reconciliation.
The UN Security Council on Thursday extended UNMISS mandate for another year and called on the mission to take ‘the necessary actions to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, irrespective of the source of such violence.’