Under pressure from neighbouring countries and the looming
possibility of sanctions, Machar signed the peace deal on Aug. 17 and
Kiir 10 days later, though both sides were quick to accuse each other of
further attacks.
South Sudan's government violated truce with copter attack: monitors(Reuters)
South Sudan's
government carried out a helicopter gunship attack on rebel positions
days after committing to a peace deal, mediators said in the first
confirmation of ceasefire violations since the pact was struck.
The world's youngest country descended into civil war in December 2013 when a row between President Salva Kiir and former deputy Riek Machar spiralled into fighting, reopening ethnic fault lines between Kiir's Dinka and his foe's Nuer people.
The United States
and other Western supporters accuse Kiir and Machar of squandering
goodwill after South Sudan's 2011 independence and hindering development
in an oil-producing nation with almost no tarmac roads and heavily
reliant on aid.
Under pressure from neighbouring
countries and the looming possibility of sanctions, Machar signed the
peace deal on Aug. 17 and Kiir 10 days later, though both sides were
quick to accuse each other of further attacks.
In a report, the regional bloc of East African states known as IGAD said its monitors had witnessed government "helicopter gunships flying towards and engaging the SPLM/A(IO) forces on the west bank of the Nile", referring to the rebels.
The
monitors witnessed the attacks took place on Sept. 2 in the Lelo,
Awarajwok and Detand areas of oil-producing Upper Nile state in the
country's east, the report said.
It recommended
that IGAD special envoys condemn the government forces' action and
"insist that they abide by their obligations to the (ceasefire deal)
especially after signing the recent agreement on the resolution of the
conflict".
Machar's rebels also violated the
ceasefire by launching attacks in Unity state on Aug. 23, monitors said,
although those incidents occurred before Kiir signed the peace
agreement.
Increasing pressure on both sides to
desist from bloodshed, the United States proposed sanctions this week on
South Sudan's army chief and a rebel commander, but some U.N. Security
Council members requested that the move be put on hold.
The
Security Council blacklisted six generals -- three on the government
side, three fighting for the rebels -- in July, the first people
connected to the conflict to be subjected to a global asset freeze and
travel ban.
Monitors documented 48 violations by
Sept. 9 of the cessation of hostilities agreement signed on Feb. 8 last
year, of which 28 were committed by rebel forces and the rest by the
government troops.
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