The leaders of Sudan and South Sudan held talks over the phone to discuss unrest in South Sudan.
The call from both leaders comes after a UN helicopter was targeted in Nasir City of the northeastern Upper Nile State, South Sudan, on Friday while trying to evacuate soldiers, leaving at least 27 people dead.
The discussions between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Sunday evening dwelt on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, the council said in a statement.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said its team was attempting to extract members of the South Sudanese army from the area when their helicopter came under fire, killing a crew member and seriously injuring two others.
Assurance
The statement describes Burhan as “reassured” about the overall situation in South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan after a referendum in 2011.
“The South Sudanese government is keen on establishing security and stability and normalising security conditions in the country,” the statement quoted South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
The US ordered non-emergency government personnel to leave South Sudan after the helicopter incident, citing “security concerns.”
"Armed conflict is ongoing and includes fighting between various political and ethnic groups. Weapons are readily available to the population," the US Department of State said in a statement.
Peace process
The UN said Friday’s incident, which could deal a blow to an already fragile peace process, was “utterly abhorrent” and a possible war crime.
A power-sharing agreement between Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar has been threatened in recent weeks by clashes between their allied forces in the Upper Nile state.
The White Army, a militia Kiir’s government alleges is linked to Machar’s ethnic Nuer community, took control of the Nasir city on March 4 after clashes with government forces.
