UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has warned of a “very real risk of mass atrocities” in South Sudan and that peacekeepers deployed in the war-torn country will not be able to stop such a bloodbath. “There is a very real risk of mass atrocities being committed in South Sudan, particularly following the sharp rise in hate speech and ethnic incitement in recent weeks,” Ban said. The world’s youngest nation, South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, leaving tens of thousands dead and more than 2.5 million people displaced. The UN security council agreed to deploy a regional force to Juba to improve security, but the government has balked at the deployment of the 4,000 troops. The council, which will discuss South Sudan on Thursday, has threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan for its refusal to cooperate, but it has yet to take action.

Source: The Guardian November 16, 2016 21:10 UTC