Questions: Who is supplying these heavy and deadly weapons to people
who can barely feed themselves?
As South Sudan rebels battled government
troops for control of the flashpoint town of Bor, the AU says it will impose
sanctions over violence.
The African Union said it will impose "targeted sanctions" over
violence in war-torn South Sudan, where two weeks of fighting is feared to
have left thousands dead.
The pan-Africa bloc's Peace and Security Council said in a statement it
would "take appropriate measures, including targeted sanctions, against all
those who incite people to violence, including along ethnic lines".
Meanwhile, South Sudan rebels battled government troops on Tuesday for
control of the flashpoint town of Bor, the army said, dashing hopes a
looming ceasefire deadline in the war-torn nation would be heeded.
"There is fighting this morning [Tuesday] in Bor town ... we are
awaiting more details," army spokesperson Philip Aguer said. The army
celebrated last week the recapture of Bor from the rebel forces, who have
been fighting government troops for over two weeks.
Offer of a cease-fireLate on Monday,
Uganda's president
warned South Sudan's rebel leader against rejecting the
government's offer of a cease-fire, saying regional leaders would unite to
"defeat" the former vice-president who is accused of mounting a failed coup
in the world's newest country.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni told reporters in Juba, the South
Sudan capital, that a regional bloc known as IGAD had given Riek Machar
"four days to respond" to the cease-fire offer.
"If he doesn't we shall have to go for him, all of us," he said,
referring to IGAD.
A meeting of East African leaders last week said it "welcomed the
commitment" by South Sudan's government to cease hostilities against rebels
and urged both sides to start peace talks by Tuesday. Machar instead called
for a negotiated cease-fire that includes a way to monitor compliance.
Violence since mid-December in South Sudan has displaced up to
180 000 people, the United Nations said on Monday.
Uganda's influence is strong in South Sudan, where special forces from
the neighbouring country have been deployed at the request of South Sudan's
President Salva Kiir, raising questions about the impartiality of Uganda as
a possible mediator in a conflict that many fear could lead to civil war in
the world's newest country.
Seek help
But France's ambassador to the United
Nations said South Sudan's government has the right under international law
to seek help from neighbouring countries to defend itself.
"There is a government in South Sudan, which has the right to ask for
another country to support its military efforts," said Gerard Araud, who is
the UN Security Council president. He added that the Security Council "does
not have a say" in whether South Sudan seeks such help. – AFP,
Sapa-AP