US restricts arms transfers to bloodied South Sudan

Appalled by ongoing violence in South Sudan, Washington on Friday restricted arms transfers to the African country where tens of thousands have died in civil war. "In response to this continued violence and brutality against civilians and humanitarian workers, the United States is enacting restrictions on arms transfers with South Sudan," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.
The United States is South Sudan's biggest aid provider, and was a major backer of its 2011 independence from Sudan. But patience from South Sudan's foreign allies has worn out after countless failed efforts to bring peace to a country, now in its fifth year of a war where targeted ethnic killings, gang rapes and other atrocities have occurred.
"The United States is appalled by the continuing violence in South Sudan that has created one of Africa's worst humanitarian crises," said Nauert, citing 1.5 million people on the brink of famine despite efforts by the United States and other donors. Roughly four million South Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes.
"The government and armed opposition have continued offensive military actions, and the government obstructs the UN peacekeeping mission from fulfilling its mandate," Nauert said, adding that at least 95 aid workers have been killed since the conflict began in December 2013.