JUBA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's ceasefire monitors on Wednesday urged warring parties to exercise maximum restraint and return to dialogue after the recent clashes in Jonglei State between warring parties forced about 200,000 people to flee into neighboring Ethiopia.
Teshome Anagawe Ayana, chairperson of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), reminded the warring parties of their obligation to protect civilians under the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
"The last 12 months have been marked by repeated attacks on the peace agreement. We cannot, and must not, accept the widespread violence. The premise of the agreement rests on the understanding that signatory parties must work together in good faith to transition away from a state of conflict towards a state of peace," Ayana said during the meeting of ceasefire monitors in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
The statement came after a recent fighting in Akobo County in Jonglei State, following the launch of the offensive operations by the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) against the opposition Sudan People's Liberation Army-in opposition (SPLA-IO).
Earlier, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revealed that an estimated 280,000 people have been displaced due to the ongoing clashes across Jonglei State.
Ayana also disclosed that their ceasefire monitoring and verification teams are unable to perform effectively across the country due to financial constraints and obstructions.
