World, Africa

South Sudan's president sacks army chief

Move comes following reports the army chief was allegedly behind recent protests in capital calling for government's ouster

09.05.2017 - Update : 10.05.2017
South Sudan's president sacks army chief FILE PHOTO

By Parach Mach

JUBA, South Sudan

President Salva Kiir sacked the army chief on Tuesday following reports that he was allegedly behind recent protests calling for the government's ouster.

The decree announcing the immediate removal of Gen. Paul Malong Awan was read out on South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation late in the evening. It did not specify any particular reason for the dismissal.

Kiir appointed Gen. Ajongo Mawut as the new army chief, according the presidential decree announced on national television.

On Monday, university students took to the streets in the capital, Juba, to protest against the rise in the cost of living. The protesters were joined by Juba residents who chanted slogans against Kiir and carried banners accusing him of being responsible for the collapse of the country and urged him to step down.

South Sudan has been mired in civil war since 2013 when Kiir accused his sacked deputy Riek Machar of coup d’etat against his government. Machar denied the allegations and then later went on to form a rebellion to oust the government.

The conflict took an ethnic dimension, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions; almost half of the country’s 12 million population remains at risk of starvation.

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.
Related topics
Bu haberi paylaşın