Two UN Peacekeepers Killed in South Sudan Ambush

Two United Nations peacekeepers were killed on Monday when a patrol was ambushed by armed men in a remote area of South Sudan, an attack that underscored the fragile security situation in the country as it faces the threat of a return to full-scale civil war. Three other peacekeepers, two South Sudanese police officers, and two civilian staff members attached to the UN mission were wounded in the incident near Pajut in Jonglei state.

The patrol from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was deliberately targeted, according to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. The mission deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and manage the emergency response following the attack. "Such deadly violence targeting UNMISS personnel, who are serving to support peace in South Sudan, is unacceptable," said Anita Kiki Gbeho, the head of UNMISS. The identities and nationalities of the deceased peacekeepers have not yet been disclosed.

The UN has called on relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation to bring those responsible to justice. Dujarric stressed that attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. He added that...