UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned Monday's ambush of UN peacekeepers in South Sudan.
In a press statement, the members of the Security Council unequivocally condemned "in the strongest terms the heinous and deliberate attack" by armed individuals on a UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) force-protection convoy in South Sudan's Jonglei state.
The attack killed two peacekeepers and injured seven others.
The statement underscored that attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law and demanded a full, transparent, and immediate investigation. The council members insisted that those responsible be identified and brought to justice without delay and warned that impunity for such attacks is unacceptable.
The council members expressed deep alarm at the persistent intercommunal and armed violence in Jonglei and its devastating toll on civilians, humanitarian workers, and peacekeepers alike. They demanded that South Sudanese political and community leaders engage in efforts to end the violence and take immediate and decisive action to ensure the protection of all those working to advance peace and security in the country.
The council members reaffirmed their unwavering support for UNMISS and its mandate to protect civilians and sustain the peace process in South Sudan. They emphasized that the government of South Sudan must work with UNMISS, within its mandated capacity, to ensure the safety and security of its peacekeepers and to implement its mandate to protect civilians and support the peace process in South Sudan. ■
