Heavy gunfire erupted in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, on Thursday evening after security forces attempted to arrest the former head of the National Security Service, Akol Koor Kuc. The shooting lasted for over an hour, prompting safety warnings for UN staff.
Heavy gunfire broke out in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, on Thursday evening after security forces attempted to arrest the former head of the intelligence service, according to Reuters reporters and a UN staff alert.
The gunfire began around 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) and continued sporadically for over an hour before subsiding, reporters said. A UN safety alert sent to staff in Juba, seen by Reuters, stated the shooting was linked to the arrest of the former National Security Service (NSS) head. The alert advised UN staff to shelter in place.
In early October, President Salva Kiir dismissed Akol Koor Kuc, who had led the NSS since South Sudan’s independence from Sudan in 2011, and appointed a close ally to replace him.
Army spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang said that Akol Koor had not been arrested and remained at his home throughout the shooting. Koang added he would brief reporters later on Friday following a meeting with other security officials. Analysts noted that Akol Koor's dismissal pointed to a power struggle at the highest levels of government. This came weeks after Kiir’s transitional government announced the elections scheduled for December would be delayed for a second time.
Rival factions loyal to Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar fought a civil war from 2013 to 2018, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. The two have governed together since as part of a transitional government. While there has been relative peace, clashes between opposing forces and various armed groups in rural areas continue sporadically.
Türkiye’s parliament on Monday approved a key piece of legislation underpinning the government’s effort to end decades of conflict with the Kurdi...
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Iran to pay compensation for decades of deaths and damage, adding a new demand to peace talks as Tehran see...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 11th of August, covering the latest developments....
Flights arriving at Catania airport in eastern Sicily were suspended after volcanic ash from a new eruption of Mount Etna drifted into the airspace around the airport, disrupting operations at one of Italy’s busiest aviation hubs.
One hundred years after the First World War and more than eighty years after the devastation of the Second World War gave rise to the United Nations, humanity once again finds itself living in an age of permanent crisis.
For months, efforts to secure the Red Sea have focused on what is happening in the water. Naval deployments have increased, governments have expanded maritime cooperation and shipping companies have adapted to persistent security threats.
Greenland has issued a “strong warning” to a U.S. oil company linked to President Donald Trump after drilling equipment was brought ashore without the required government approvals, according to British media.
A deal on a new route for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is "very close," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said, while warning that the reopening of the waterway depends on the U.S. meeting other conditions, including paying compensation to Iran.
Türkiye’s parliament on Monday approved a key piece of legislation underpinning the government’s effort to end decades of conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), moving the so-called Terror-Free Türkiye initiative closer to implementation.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Iran to pay compensation for decades of deaths and damage, adding a new demand to peace talks as Tehran seeks compensation and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 11th of August, covering the latest developments.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is preparing to deploy additional North Korean forces on its territory and has received more ballistic missiles from Pyongyang, arguing that their growing military cooperation poses a threat beyond Ukraine.
Firefighters were continuing to battle a massive blaze at the Zawiya refinery on Tuesday as Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said it could declare force majeure and completely halt operations if drone attacks on oil assets in the city continued.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment