The UN team faced gunfire during an attempt to help South Sudan army members, causing deaths, according to UN reports. A helicopter crew member lost their life when attackers shot at the aircraft. The UN mission statement called it a possible war crime. Both the injured South Sudanese general and several troops died during this rescue effort in Upper Nile state.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir claimed a second helicopter took off after the attack but crashed, with everyone dying. The UN mission Unmiss contradicted this, stating both their aircraft landed safely in Malakal. Information Minister Michael Makuei told Reuters that twenty-seven South Sudanese soldiers died altogether. Recent battles in Upper Nile have put stress on the shaky peace agreement between Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar.
These two leaders split apart back in 2013, starting a five-year civil war. That conflict killed 400,000 people and forced 2.5 million others from their homes. They signed peace papers in 2018, but tensions never really went away. The current fighting happens between government forces and the White Army, a group tied to Machar during the previous war. The UN has helped move hurt soldiers from dangerous areas with permission from both fighting sides.
Unmiss leader Nicholas Haysom spoke strongly against what happened. He called the attack horrible and mentioned it might break international law. He expressed sadness about losing a teammate and offered sympathy to the family. Haysom also felt bad about the deaths of people they tried to save, especially since they had received safety promises. President Kiir named General Majur Dak as the high-ranking officer who died leading forces in Nasir.
Many arrests of Machar supporters have raised fears about renewed war. Police recently detained the oil minister and a high-level army general who backed Machar. After Friday's violence, President Kiir asked citizens to stay calm. He promised the country would not return to fighting and asked people not to take matters into their own hands. His government plans to handle the situation. South Sudan became its country just thirteen years ago when it separated from Sudan in 2011.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir claimed a second helicopter took off after the attack but crashed, with everyone dying. The UN mission Unmiss contradicted this, stating both their aircraft landed safely in Malakal. Information Minister Michael Makuei told Reuters that twenty-seven South Sudanese soldiers died altogether. Recent battles in Upper Nile have put stress on the shaky peace agreement between Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar.
These two leaders split apart back in 2013, starting a five-year civil war. That conflict killed 400,000 people and forced 2.5 million others from their homes. They signed peace papers in 2018, but tensions never really went away. The current fighting happens between government forces and the White Army, a group tied to Machar during the previous war. The UN has helped move hurt soldiers from dangerous areas with permission from both fighting sides.
Unmiss leader Nicholas Haysom spoke strongly against what happened. He called the attack horrible and mentioned it might break international law. He expressed sadness about losing a teammate and offered sympathy to the family. Haysom also felt bad about the deaths of people they tried to save, especially since they had received safety promises. President Kiir named General Majur Dak as the high-ranking officer who died leading forces in Nasir.
Many arrests of Machar supporters have raised fears about renewed war. Police recently detained the oil minister and a high-level army general who backed Machar. After Friday's violence, President Kiir asked citizens to stay calm. He promised the country would not return to fighting and asked people not to take matters into their own hands. His government plans to handle the situation. South Sudan became its country just thirteen years ago when it separated from Sudan in 2011.
