American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2013 – Four U.S. service members were
injured today when their aircraft came under ground fire in South Sudan during
a mission to evacuate American citizens in Bor, according to a statement issued
by U.S. Africa Command.
The updated Africom statement reads as follows:
“At the request of the Department of State, the United
States Africa Command, utilizing forces from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of
Africa (CJTF-HOA), attempted to evacuate U.S. citizens from the town of Bor,
South Sudan, today.
“As the aircraft, three CV-22 Ospreys, were approaching the
town they were fired on by small-arms fire by unknown forces. All three
aircraft sustained damage during the engagement. Four service members onboard
the aircraft were wounded during the engagement.
“The damaged aircraft diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, where the
wounded were transferred onboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 and flown to Nairobi,
Kenya, for medical treatment.
“All four service members were treated and are in stable
condition.”
The United States recognized South Sudan as a sovereign,
independent state on July 9, 2011 following its secession from Sudan, according
to the U.S. State Department’s website. The United States played a key role in
helping create the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that laid the groundwork
for the 2011 independence referendum and secession.
Several disputes between Sudan and South Sudan remain
unresolved post-independence, including the management of oil resources and the
status of the Abyei region, according to the State Department website. The
United States supports the efforts of the African Union High-Level
Implementation Panel to help the parties work through these issues.
On Dec. 18, about 45 U.S. service members deployed to South
Sudan to support the security of U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy, according
to a Dec. 19 letter President Barack Obama wrote to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
The text of the president’s letter reads as follows:
“On December 18, 2013, approximately 45 U.S. Armed Forces
personnel deployed to South Sudan to support the security of U.S. personnel and
our Embassy. Although equipped for combat, this force was deployed for the
purpose of protecting U.S. citizens and property. This force will remain in
South Sudan until the security situation becomes such that it is no longer
needed.
“This action has been directed consistent with my
responsibility to protect U.S. citizens both at home and abroad, and in
furtherance of U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to
my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander
in Chief and Chief Executive.
“I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep
the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public
Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in these actions.”
In recent years, South Sudan “has made great progress toward
breaking the cycle of violence that characterized much of its history,” Obama
said in a separate statement issued Dec. 19.
Today, however, South Sudan’s “future is at risk,” Obama
added. South Sudan, he said, now “stands at the precipice,” with recent
fighting there threatening to plunge the country “back into the dark days of
its past.”
Obama continued: “But it doesn’t have to be that way. South
Sudan has a choice. Its leaders can end the violence and work to resolve
tensions peacefully and democratically. Fighting to settle political scores or
to destabilize the government must stop immediately. Inflammatory rhetoric and
targeted violence must cease. All sides must listen to the wise counsel of
their neighbors, commit to dialogue and take immediate steps to urge calm and
support reconciliation.”
South Sudan’s leaders must “recognize that compromise with
one’s political enemy is difficult, but recovering from unchecked violence and
unleashed hatred will prove much harder,” the president said.
“Too much blood has been spilled and too many lives have
been lost to allow South Sudan’s moment of hope and opportunity to slip from
its grasp,” Obama said. “Now is the time for South Sudan’s leaders to show
courage and leadership, to reaffirm their commitment to peace, to unity, and to
a better future for their people. The United States will remain a steady
partner of the South Sudanese people as they seek the security and prosperity
they deserve.”
South Sudan is located on the eastern border of the Central
African Republic. The United States established diplomatic relations with the
Central African Republic in 1960, following its independence from France,
according to Africom’s website. The C.A.R. is one of the world’s least
developed nations, and has experienced several periods of political instability
since independence.
The United States is deeply concerned about “the shocking
and horrific atrocities that have been committed by government-affiliated armed
groups and independent militias against innocent civilians in the Central
African Republic” in recent weeks, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters Dec. 11.
In an audio message released Dec. 9, Obama called on the
transitional C.A.R. government to arrest those who are committing crimes.
“Individuals who are engaging in violence must be held
accountable -- in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, as forces from other
African countries and France work to restore security, the United States will
support their efforts to protect civilians,” Obama said.
On Dec. 10, the president authorized the State Department to
use up to $60 million in defense services and articles for countries that
contribute forces to the African Union-led International Support Mission in the
Central African Republic. The assistance could include logistical support --
including strategic airlift and aerial refueling -- and training for French and
African forces deploying to the Central African Republic.
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