The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in South Sudan and is calling on the parties “to cease hostilities, and avoid the mistakes of the past in order for South Sudan to move forward in peace”.

Ellen Margrethe Løj, who is the Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, says the mission is outraged at the outbreak of violence in Juba on 8 July, which severely impacted on the civilian population.

A statement by UNMISS this afternoon noted that heavy fighting in Juba town and in close proximity to its compound located at UN House Jebel prompted hundreds of internally displaced people to flee from the UNMISS protection of civilians site (PoC) 1 and into the UNMISS compound.

The statement says several rounds had hit the buildings in the UN House compound.

It says UN peacekeepers have increased their presence on the perimeters of PoC sites 1 and 3, and enhanced their patrolling both inside and in the vicinity of the sites.

UNMISS says it is providing medical assistance to injured civilians from the PoC 1 site.