LONDON: British citizens “should leave South Sudan now,” UK foreign minister David Lammy has warned, with fears growing the country is tipping closer to civil war as a fragile peace deal unravels.
“My message to British nationals in South Sudan is clear. If you judge it is safe to do so – leave now,” Lammy said on X late Thursday, as the foreign ministry updated its travel warning for the country.
The message comes after Wednesday’s arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, a long-time rival to President Salva Kiir, which observers warn could throw the country back into war.
A power-sharing deal between Kiir and Machar has been gradually unraveling, risking a return of the civil war that killed around 400,000 people between 2013 and 2018.
Lammy said: “South Sudan’s leaders must make efforts to de-escalate. A descent into violence and conflict is in no-one’s interests.”
In its updated travel advice, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said British nationals who chose to remain in the country did so “at your own risk.”
“You should have a personal emergency plan that does not rely on the UK government,” it added, warning Britons they “should not assume that the FCDO will be able to provide assistance... in the event of serious unrest.”
South Sudan – which declared independence from Sudan in 2011 – has remained plagued by poverty and insecurity since the 2018 peace deal.
Regional powers have scrambled to mediate in the latest crisis, with Kenyan President William Ruto posting that he had spoken to Kiir about Machar’s arrest.
Analysts say the aging Kiir, 73, has been seeking to ensure his succession and sideline Machar politically for months through cabinet reshuffles.
More than 20 of Machar’s political and military allies in the unity government and army have also been arrested since February, many held incommunicado.
UK government warns Britons to leave South Sudan ‘now’
https://arab.news/ywkrq
UK government warns Britons to leave South Sudan ‘now’
- The message comes after Wednesday’s arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar
- British nationals who chose to remain in the country do so ‘at your own risk’
Three more UK pro-Palestinian activists end hunger strike
- The detainees are due to stand trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of the Palestine Action campaign group before it was banned under anti-terrorism laws
LONDON: Three detained pro-Palestinian activists awaiting trial in the UK have ended their hunger strike after 73 days, a campaign group said.
The three began “refeeding” on Wednesday, Prisoners for Palestine said in a statement late on Wednesday.
The decision leaves just one person still on hunger strike who started six days ago, it confirmed to AFP. Four others called off their hunger strike earlier.
The detainees are due to stand trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of the Palestine Action campaign group before it was banned under anti-terrorism laws.
They deny the charges.
The group, aged 20-31, launched their hunger strike in November in protest at their treatment and called for their release from prison on bail as they await trial.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said in parliament that all “rules and procedures” were being followed in their cases.
His government outlawed Palestine Action in July after activists, protesting the war in Gaza, broke into a UK air force base and caused an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) of damage.
Some of those on hunger strike are charged in relation to that incident.
The inmates’ demands included that the government lift its Palestine Action ban and close an Israel-linked defense firm.
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori challenged the ban last July, and High Court judges are expected to rule at a later date on whether to uphold the prohibition.
