Germany temporarily shuts embassy in South Sudan amid fears of civil war
Germany has taken the drastic step of temporarily closing its embassy in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, due to escalating tensions that have pushed the East African nation to the brink of civil war. The German foreign ministry announced this decision on Saturday, citing the deteriorating situation in the country.
The latest trigger for the heightened tensions in South Sudan was President Salva Kiir’s decision to dismiss the governor of Upper Nile state. This move came amidst escalating clashes between government forces and an ethnic militia that Kiir accuses of aligning with his rival, First Vice President Riek Machar.
The international community, including the European Union, has expressed deep concerns over the potential for South Sudan to slide back into conflict, just seven years after it gained independence following a brutal civil war that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
A spokesperson for the German foreign ministry stated, “After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war. President Kiir and Vice President Machar are plunging the country into a spiral of violence. It’s their responsibility to end this senseless violence and finally implement the peace agreement.”
In a related development, South Sudan’s United Nations peacekeeping chief, Nicholas Haysom, has also voiced alarm over the situation, warning that the country is teetering on the edge of a return to civil war.
The closure of the German embassy in Juba underscores the seriousness of the situation in South Sudan and the growing international concern over the potential for renewed violence in the war-torn nation. As the world watches closely, there are urgent calls for Kiir and Machar to prioritize peace and stability in order to prevent further bloodshed and suffering among the South Sudanese people.
