The United Nations Mission in South Sudan or UNMISS confirmed ‘widespread sexual violence including gang rape of women and young girls by soldiers in uniform and unidentified armed groups of men in plain clothes’.
UNMISS in a statement CRN saw on Monday, said incidents of sexual violence were reported in the vicinity of the Protection of Civilians sites near UN House and other neighbourhoods of Juba.
It said ‘these acts have been committed since the start of the fighting which erupted in Juba on Friday 8 July’.
UN condemns the actions and reminds all combatants and parties to the conflict and responsible leaders that these acts constitute grave violations of international human rights law, read part of the statement.
It added that the acts may be regarded as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Protection of civilians including the most vulnerable remains the core priority of UNMISS, the statement said.
It noted that the Mission is working with community leaders and partners to coordinate peacekeeper escorts of women and girls leaving protection sites to collect food and non-food items.