The United Nations has deployed a team to South Sudan to investigate human rights abuses and violations since the conflict started in 2013.

In a statement, the office of the higher commissioner says the 10 members will examine violations of international human rights law and of international humanitarian law by all sides to the conflict.

The first three members of the mission already arrived in Juba last week.

“Given the time constraints, this will be a preliminary assessment, building on the work done by the human rights division of the UN Mission in South Sudan, and it will advise the Human Rights Council on appropriate follow-up action,” High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

The commissioner said the assessment report will then be presented to the UN Human Rights Council at its next session in March next year.

The statement says the team will build on the findings of the UNMISS human rights division, which said both parties violated human rights in the conflict.

It says the assessment report will also recommend ways to improve the human rights situation in the country and to ensure accountability for gross violations.