JUBA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Friday appealed for calm and reiterated his commitment to peace, hours after 27 people were killed in a violent attack on government forces and a UN helicopter in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
Kiir said the deaths, including an army general and the commander in Nasir, occurred on Friday morning when the United Nations mission attempted to evacuate South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) officers trapped in Nasir following clashes earlier this week with the White Army, a local militia allied with the opposition Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-in-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO).
"This morning, two UN helicopters flew to Nasir to evacuate the general and the officers. Both came under heavy fire. I regret to inform the nation that in the process, we lost General Majur Dak and all the officers," Kiir told journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
"Only one pilot survived. One of the helicopters managed to take off but later crash-landed in Malakal, killing all passengers on board," he added.
He said those killed included SSPDF soldiers and UN staff sent to rescue the remaining SSPDF forces.
The president urged citizens across the country not to take the law into their own hands and reiterated his administration's commitment to maintaining peace nationwide.
He reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that South Sudan does not return to war and called on the people to uphold peace and unity.
"I am appealing to you to remain calm. I have said time and again that our country will not go back to war. Let no one take the law into their own hands. The government, which I lead, will handle this crisis. We will remain steadfast on the path of peace," Kiir assured.
Meanwhile, Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Michael Makuei Lueth confirmed that 27 people, including UN personnel, were killed when the UN helicopter came under heavy gunfire in restive Nasir County.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called for an investigation to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
The UNMISS also urged all parties to refrain from further violence and called on the country's leaders to urgently intervene through dialogue to de-escalate tensions and prevent further deterioration of the security situation in Nasir and beyond.
Clashes erupted in Nasir on Monday between SSPDF forces and the White Army, leading to the SSPDF's evacuation of the town and the arrest of several senior army officers in the capital who are loyal to the SPLM/A-IO led by First Vice President Riek Machar.
Machar, whose political rivalry with Kiir has previously fueled civil war, criticized the removal of some of his allies from government positions in February, saying it threatens the 2018 peace deal between the two sides.
The deal, aimed at ending years of civil war, has faced repeated delays and challenges, particularly in unifying armed groups to form a national army.
Analysts said the armed clashes underscore the fragile state of South Sudan's 2018 peace agreement and highlight the urgent need for continued dialogue to prevent further conflict. ■
