United Nations (UN) helicopter was shot at while attempting to evacuate members of South Sudan’s national army leading to several death.
The attack which has sparked global outrage took place in a volatile region of the country where armed clashes have intensified.
The UN has condemned the assault warning that it “may constitute a war crime,” as international law strictly prohibits targeting humanitarian and peacekeeping missions.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir later said a second helicopter managed to take off after the attack only to crash land killing all on board. According to reports, the helicopter was on a mission to rescue wounded soldiers from an active conflict zone when it came under heavy fire.
“Twenty-seven South Sudanese soldiers were killed in total,” said Minister Michael Makuei.
UN officials have not yet confirmed who was behind the attack but suspicion is falling on armed militias that have been engaged in ongoing battles with government forces.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called for an urgent investigation stating that such attacks undermine peace efforts and put countless lives at risk.
UNMISS head Nicholas Haysom said in a statement that the attack on his mission’s personnel was “utterly abhorrent and may constitute a war crime under international law.
We deeply regret the tragic loss of our colleague and express our sincere condolences to their loved ones.
“We also regret the killing of those that we were attempting to extract particularly when assurances of safe passage had been received.”
President Kiir said the army general who died in the attack was Gen Majur Dak, who led the forces stationed in Nasir, a region in Upper Nile.
This incident comes amid heightened tensions in South Sudan where frequent fighting between government troops and rebel groups has continued despite peace agreements.
The targeting of a UN aircraft raises serious concerns about the safety of humanitarian operations and the increasing brutality of the conflict.
The South Sudanese government has vowed to track down those responsible but many fear that this attack signals a worrying escalation of hostilities.
The international community including UN Security Council is now under pressure to respond decisively to prevent further deterioration of security in the region.
