South Sudan violence may amount to war crimes – Amnesty

Fighting between government-allied groups and the opposition in South Sudan has led to “unimaginable violence” in recent months that could potentially amount to war crimes, according to a new report by Amnesty International.

The report says dozens of civilians were killed and tens of thousands others displaced in the fighting in West Equatoria state between June and October this year.

It reveals harrowing atrocities committed against civilians in Tambura region.

“The testimonies we have gathered speak of unimaginable violence, including civilians killed as they fled and bodies set on fire and mutilated,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for East and Southern Africa.

Survivors interviewed by the organisation gave distressing accounts of escaping indiscriminate gunfire lasting for hours, and of entire neighbourhoods being set alight.

The report, which is the first detailed human rights analysis of the conflict, says some of the atrocities potentially amounted to war crimes.

South Sudan has seen rising cases of inter-ethnic clashes and politically incited violence in recent months.

This is despite the signing of a revitalised peace deal between President Salva Kiir and rival Riek Machar in 2018.

By BBC