British nationals in South Sudan are advised to depart by the UK

In response to escalating tensions that have brought the East African nation to the verge of a new civil war, Britain on Thursday sent out an evacuation warning to its residents in South Sudan.

In a recent travel advisory, the British Foreign Office stated, “If you are in South Sudan and you think it is safe to do so, you should leave now.”

Britain underlined that because of the danger of armed conflict, it still advises against any travel to the nation.

In recent weeks, tensions between South Sudan’s First Vice-President Riek Machar and his opponent, President Salva Kiir, have escalated, leading Western nations, including the United States, Britain, and Germany, to close their embassies or scale back their operations in the country.

Earlier Thursday, Machar’s party said that his house arrest had essentially shattered the peace agreement that put an end to the civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people between 2013 and 2018.

“South Sudan’s leaders must make efforts to de-escalate,” British Foreign Minister David Lammy wrote on X, reiterating the United Nations’ and other Western nations’ demands for moderation.

“A descent into violence and conflict is in no-one’s interests.”