By Frank Kamuntu
Police in South Sudan have imposed a nighttime curfew following violent protests in the capital, Juba, that escalated into looting of Sudanese-owned businesses.
Police Chief Abraham Manyuat announced the curfew, which will start at 6:00 p.m. daily, on state television Friday as new demonstrations erupted in Juba and other cities.
Heavy gunfire was reported on Thursday as security forces were deployed to curb the unrest. Protesters vandalized and looted shops owned by Sudanese nationals in several neighbourhoods, prompting police to fire warning shots to disperse the crowds.
The protests were sparked by outrage over reports of South Sudanese civilians allegedly killed by Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) in Wad Madani, the capital of Sudan’s El Gezira State. Graphic videos of the killings circulating on social media have added to the tensions.
Police spokesperson Col. John Kassara Koang Nhial assured that Sudanese living in South Sudan would be protected, warning that looting and attacks on their property would not be tolerated.
The violence highlights growing tensions between the two neighbouring nations as thousands of South Sudanese remain stranded in conflict-stricken Sudan.
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