South Sudan issues advisory note to nationals in Sudan amid violent protests

JUBA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan said Thursday it has alerted its nationals living in Sudan to be careful and avoid being involved in ongoing protests that have gripped its northern neighbor.

Mawien Makol Ariik, foreign ministry spokesperson, said they issued an advisory warning after four South Sudanese were confirmed dead last week as they observed the protests in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

"We have sent an advisory note for our people to be careful while in Sudan," Makol told Xinhua in Juba.

The Sudan protests now in third week were sparked off by high rising prices of bread and fuel on December 19, 2018 and have morphed into rallying call for President Omar al-Bashir to step down.

South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long-decade civil war and took with it 75 percent of the oil wealth. People in the two countries still enjoy warm ties connected by family and business interests.

Makol added that they are urging Sudanese people to be calm and observe peace since Sudan played key role in peace mediation that led to the signing of the revitalized peace agreement ending a five-year old conflict in South Sudan.

President Omar al-Bashir mediated the revitalized peace deal between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Khartoum that led to the eventual signing of the final agreement in Ethiopia on September 12, 2018.

"We are appealing for stability and normalcy to return to Sudan and urge (Sudanese) people to be patient and allow peaceful transfer of power," said Makol.