South Sudan implements curfew in response to Sudanese murders that provoke riots

Police in South Sudan enforced a national curfew starting at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Friday following a night of violent riots in the capital due to claims that the army and its allies had killed South Sudanese in neighboring Sudan.

The curfew will remain in effect until further notice, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day, in an effort to restore security and stop property damage, Abraham Peter Manyuat, the police chief, stated in a state television broadcast.

“The police will not tolerate any violations,” he added.

At least three people were murdered and seven injured Thursday night in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, some by machetes and gunfire, according to a police statement. This occurred when young people in several areas robbed and damaged Sudanese people’s stores.

The police also reported that three Sudanese homes were set on fire in Aweil, which is close to the Sudanese border.

Many Juba suburbs had their stores shuttered on Friday as security authorities, including police, attempted to move Sudanese residents to safer regions out of concern that riots may assault them.

Following the reported murders of South Sudanese citizens in the city of Wad Madani in the El Gezira area of Sudan by members of Sudan’s military and affiliated militias, there have been rioting.

The Sudanese army denounced “individual violations” in El Gezira on Tuesday, following accusations by human rights organizations that it and its allies were responsible for attacks against civilians who were suspected of aiding the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that targeted certain ethnic groups.

A civil conflict that has lasted over two years has pitted Sudan’s military against RSF members.

The purported deaths earlier this week prompted President Salva Kiir Mayardit to appeal for calm, and South Sudan’s foreign ministry phoned Sudan’s envoy.

“It is crucial that we do not allow anger to cloud our judgment or turn against Sudanese traders and refugees currently residing in our country,” the statement from his office said.