In South Sudan, UN withdraws troops from protection of civilians camps

Blue helmets of the Minuss in Juba, August 31, 2016 (photo illustration).

REUTERS / Jok Solomun

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese had taken refuge in these camps during the civil war, but since the formation of a government of national unity six months ago, these civilians are no longer threatened, according to the United Nations.

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With our correspondent in the region

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The withdrawal of soldiers and police from the UN mission in South Sudan (Minuss) has already started in some camps.

Over the past six years, more than 180,000 people have found refuge there across the country, fleeing ethnic violence committed during the civil war.

These populations will not be forced to leave the area and the humanitarian services will continue, assures the UN special envoy, but these camps, transformed into camps for displaced persons, will now be managed by the South Sudanese government.

The UN believes that these populations are no longer threatened since the peace agreement, signed in 2018, and the formation of a unity government last March.

South Sudan is struggling to recover from this civil war which killed 380,000 people and pushed the population into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Peace is still fragile there, while new community violence breaks out in certain regions, notably in Jonglei province, in the east of the country.

The withdrawal of UN troops from the camps for the protection of civilians will allow the redeployment of 300 to 450 soldiers and police in these areas under stress.

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• South sudan

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