Salva Kiir calls for calm after deadly UN helicopter attack in South Sudan

In South Sudan, President Salva Kiir has called for calm following a violent attack in Nasir County that resulted in the deaths of Army General David Majur Dak and 27 others during a failed UN evacuation mission. The UN helicopters were targeted by the White Army, a militia allied with Vice President Riek Machar, leading to significant casualties, including a crew member from the UN. Kiir emphasized his commitment to peace, stating that the country would not revert to war and urged citizens to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. Both Kiir and Machar condemned the attack, with Machar's office expressing the need for peace and further dialogue to prevent violence. The UN has described the incident as potentially constituting a war crime, raising concerns about the ongoing tensions between the rival factions. Kiir's remarks underscore the fragile power-sharing agreement established after South Sudan's civil war ended in 2018.