Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Friday 2 February 2018
South Sudan rebels
vow 'guerrilla war'
if peace talks fail
By SAM MEDNICK In Akobo, one of the last In this photo taken Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, an opposition fighter walks with his weapon on which is
Associated Press opposition strongholds, the tied a red ribbon, signifying danger as a warning to government forces and a willingness to shed
AKOBO, South Sudan (AP) AP spoke with several dis- blood, according to an opposition spokesman, in Akobo town, one of the last rebel-held strong-
— South Sudan's opposi- placed families who said holds in South Sudan.
tion is threatening to re- they fled recent attacks by
sort to "guerrilla warfare" if government forces. Associated Press
peace talks in Ethiopia fail "They're probably dead,"
in the coming days as gov- Nyakum Well said of her swell said. South Sudan before their demned South Sudan's
ernment forces advance missing children, choking In recent months the op- own personal gain," Mark leaders for signing a cease-
on remaining rebel strong- back tears as she sat in position has ceded criti- Weinberg, public affairs of- fire agreement one day
holds in the fifth year of civil her small teashop under cal ground to the govern- ficer for the U.S. Embassy, and allowing its "violation
war. a tree. "If (President) Salva ment, including the town told the AP. He said the U.S. with impunity" the next.
"We will keep fighting from Kiir's government captures of Lasu, its headquarters in and regional bodies will "It is now time to revisit the
the bush by using insurgen- any human being they kill the Equatoria region. The find ways to hold those who range of practical mea-
cies and tactical strate- them." rebels still control a handful "block peace" account- sures that can be applied
gies," James Otong, gen- Five days earlier, the of areas across the country able but didn't elaborate. in earnest to those who re-
eral deputy commander 27-year-old was separated and roam freely in many A past U.S. attempt under fuse to take this process se-
for the armed opposition, from her two young chil- rural areas, while key towns the Obama administra- riously," Mogae said.
told The Associated Press dren when government and the cities are under tion to have a U.N. arms South Sudanese who are
during a visit to the rebel- troops attacked her town government control. It is embargo imposed on weary of the fighting doubt
held town of Akobo, near of Pieri, killing civilians and not clear how many rebels South Sudan failed without that a solution is in sight
the Ethiopian border. burning houses, she said. are still fighting. enough support from Secu- when peace talks resume
Untold tens of thousands Aid workers in Akobo es- South Sudan's army denies rity Council members. in Ethiopia's capital, Addis
of people have been killed timate that 100 people claims that it is focused on On Saturday, U.N. Sec- Ababa.
since the world's young- have been flowing in daily expanding its territory, say- retary-General Antonio Sheltering in her make-
est nation plunged into since the middle of Janu- ing there's no strategy to Guterres told African re- shift home in a rundown
civil war in late 2013. The ary. Local authorities are intensify the war. gional bodies he didn't Akobo school, 27-year-
United Nations on Thursday concerned the town will be "We're focused on winning think such "tougher mea- old Nyajok Kir said her son
warned that the number of targeted next. the minds and hearts of our sures" can come from the was killed one week earlier
South Sudanese refugees Conflict experts said Akobo people," army spokesman Security Council and that when government troops
could exceed 3 million by is considered the most "stra- Lul Ruai Koang said. they need to come from stormed her town of Yuai
the end of the year — Af- tegic and symbolic" of the Yet the international com- the region instead. and started indiscriminately
rica's largest refugee crisis remaining rebel-held areas munity's patience is fading Speaking ahead of the shooting civilians.
since Rwanda's genocide and that the government quickly. new round of peace talks, "There was an agreement
in 1994. is attempting to walk a "It is long past time for the the chairman of the inde- in Addis before," she said,
Although South Sudan "diplomatic tightrope" be- leaders of South Sudan pendent Joint Monitoring hanging her head. "But
high-level peace talks are tween advancing militarily to get serious and put the and Evaluation Commis- (President) Kiir doesn't like
set to resume on Feb. 5, op- and appeasing the inter- interests of the people of sion, Festus Mogae, con- the peace."q
position forces accuse the national community.
government of being more "The government thinks it is
interested in "waging war" winning the war militarily,
than in ending the conflict. so it doesn't see any rea-
The government says it acts son to cede any real pow-
only in self-defense. er through peace nego-
The international commu- tiations," said Alan Boswell,
nity is openly frustrated with the South Sudan analyst for
both sides as a cease-fire Small Arms Survey, a Gene-
that took effect Dec. 24 va-based group focusing
was violated within hours. on armed violence.
The United States is pressing Even if the rebels continue
the U.N. Security Council to guerrilla warfare, they lack
impose an arms embargo the resources to threaten
on South Sudan, saying its the regime or "protect the
leaders are "betraying" the civilian population from
country. government assaults," Bo-
