US Department of State. (Photo: Courtesy).

The US government has issued an advisory to its citizens not to travel to South Sudan due to crimes, kidnapping, and armed conflict in the country.

The Department of State stated on its official website yesterday, that the security situation in South Sudan has reached an alarming level.

The department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs alleges that carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba.

It said foreign nationals have been the victims of rape, sexual assault, armed robberies, and other violent crimes.

According to the US Department of State, armed conflict is ongoing and includes fighting between various political and ethnic groups.

In addition, it said weapons are readily available to the population, and cattle raids occur throughout the country which often leads to violence.

Washington also noted that reporting in South Sudan without the proper documentation from the South Sudanese Media Authority is considered illegal.

Journalists regularly report being harassed in South Sudan, and some have been killed under different circumstances including covering the conflict.

The U.S. government warned its citizens that it has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to its citizens in South Sudan and that it has put its personnel under a strict curfew and uses armored vehicles for nearly all their movements.