UN Security Council urges halt to fighting in South Sudan
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Thursday urged an immediate halt to the fighting in South Sudan and renewed its peacekeeping mission in the warring country for another year.
The UNSC 'demands all parties to the conflict and other armed actors to immediately end the fighting throughout South Sudan and engage in political dialogue,' the resolution read.
The text, which called for an end to violence against civilians and voiced concern over the use of barrel bombs, was adopted by 12 votes in favor while Russia, China, and Pakistan abstained.
Rights groups have recently sounded the alarm over the deadly use of the improvised and unguided explosives in the north of the country.
The young and impoverished nation has been wracked for years by insecurity and political instability.
But clashes in Upper Nile State between forces allied to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice President Riek Machar, have raised concerns over another civil war.
Thursday's resolution also extended the UN's peacekeeping mission, founded in 2011 to consolidate peace, until next April.
It also leaves open the possibility of 'adjusting' the force and altering its mandate 'based on security conditions on the ground.'
Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said the international community should use the deployment as one tool to bring the country 'back from the brink.'
Shea also said it would be 'irresponsible' to continue funding preparations for elections after the country's transitional leadership postponed any ballot by two years last September.
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