South Sudan’s government this afternoon summoned France’s ambassador in Juba Jean-Yves Roux to protest against his public statement in which he deplored the killing of hundreds of civilians in Unity State.

A UN report released recently documents horrific human rights violations against civilians by the SPLA army and allied forces in April and May in parts of Unity State.

According to the UN report, at least 232 civilians were killed including 35 children, 120 women and girls gang-raped and 132 women and girls abducted. 

The Undersecretary of South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters that the ministry has summoned the French ambassador in South Sudan to lodge a formal complaint over his statement in which he condemned the reported incident in Unity State.

 “We shared with him a protest note that was prepared by the ministry of foreign affairs based on a statement that he has made publically on Saturday, 14 July, during the celebration of the French National Day,” said Baak Valentino Wol.

The official accused the French diplomat of attacking South Sudan government using what he called a “discredited report.”

“In our opinion as a government, the UN report is bias,” he said.