The government of the United States has condemned the fighting in Malakal as a ‘blatant’ violation of the ceasefire signed by the South Sudanese parties last month in Addis Ababa.

“The United States Embassy in Juba condemns the recent fighting in Malakal as a further blatant disregard of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, to which the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the rebel forces are both signatories,” reads a Wednesday press release.

The embassy said the fighting in Malakal threatens further instability in Upper Nile State, adding, “Armed conflict and violence will not solve this crisis.”

Opposition forces loyal to Riek Machar attacked Malakal on Tuesday morning and reportedly held much of the city through Wednesday. They far outnumbered the loyal forces in the area, military sources acknowledged.

Ceasefire monitoring team

South Sudan’s government and the SPLM/A dissident faction on 23 January signed a ceasefire and agreed to allow joint monitoring teams into the territories under their respective control. Representatives of both sides as well as IGAD member countries would participate in the teams.

But according to the US statement, the South Sudanese government has yet to name representatives to the ceasefire monitoring committee. This corroborates an earlier report on Sunday that the government’s military attaché in Addis Ababa declined to participate in recent meetings of the monitoring team.

The United States government today urged the government to participate in the ceasefire monitoring team. “It is of paramount importance for the Government to name and send immediately its representatives to the Joint Technical Committee so that the Monitoring and Verification Teams can begin their work of monitoring the Agreement under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD),” stated the embassy.

IGAD ‘seriously concerned’

Mediators from the East African regional bloc IGAD meanwhile today also expressed “serious concerns” at ongoing fighting in various parts of Upper Nile, Jonglei, Warrap and Unity states.

“The Envoys deplore the breach of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement,” the mediation stated on Wednesday.

They say “these developments will only serve to undermine the ongoing mediation process and the worsening of the suffering of the people of South Sudan.”

IGAD also called for adherence to the ceasefire deal and appealed to partner countries to aid the monitoring teams with rapid deployment of their representatives as well as logistical support.

File photo: Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell on South Sudan’s Independence Day, 9 July 2011