The advisory remains at Level 4 – Do Not Travel, the highest warning level, replacing the previous advisory issued in July 2023.
By Anak Dut
The U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory on South Sudan, urging its non-emergency personnel to leave the country.
The Department cited the ongoing armed conflict and rising security risks as reason for the advisory.
The statement comes following a week of military confrontations between the SSPDF and the SPLA-IO allied militias’ white army in Nasir and Ulang of Upper Nile State.
“We strongly advise all U.S. nationals to avoid travel to South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict,” the U.S. State Department said.
The advisory remains at Level 4 – Do Not Travel, the highest warning level. This decision replaces the previous advisory issued in July 2023.
South Sudan has been plagued by armed conflicts involving political and ethnic groups, with readily available weapons contributing to widespread violence.
The State Department said that the country is facing a high crime rate, including carjackings, shootings, ambushes, robberies, and kidnappings, saying foreign nationals have been victims of violent crimes.
It also noted the challenges faced by Journalists in the country: “Journalists face extreme risks in South Sudan, with many reporting harassments and some being killed while covering the conflict.”
“The government strictly controls reporting, requiring proper documentation from the South Sudanese Media Authority,” the statement said.
The travel advisory also placed U.S. government personnel in Juba under curfew, and are required to travel in armored vehicles, and limited their movement outside the capital.
Walking is also heavily restricted due to the high crime threat.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also issued warnings about risks to civil aviation in the country.
Meanwhile, for those who still choose to travel to South Sudan, the advisory urged extreme caution.
“Travelers should avoid border areas, stay in groups, carry emergency medical and recovery equipment, and have an evacuation plan. The U.S. government has limited ability to assist its citizens in emergencies.”
The advisory also recommends that U.S. citizens draft a will, designate beneficiaries, and prepare a security plan before traveling.
However, South Sudan’s information minister Michael Makuei, while speaking to the Voice of America (VOA) yesterday, assured that all is well in the country, and that the U.S. State Department travel advisory issued on March 8 is not necessary.
“This is uncalled for. Of course, they were frightened that there will be a reaction and there are people who have been broadcasting all kinds of stories, that South Sudan is going back to war, that people will fight and all these things. But that was a perception and nothing happened. There was nothing at all that would have called for the issuance of such an advisory,” Makuei said.