The Ugandan army has begun evacuating citizens from neighbouring South Sudan where fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to first vice president Riek Machar broke out last week, the first such incident since the formation of a transitional unity government in March.
The two factions engaged in a five-day gun battle in and around the capital Juba, killing close to 300 people and displacing around 40,000 others.
The Ugandan army went into the country on Thursday to evacuate Ugandans, but also hinted at evacuating any other people of other nationalities who wanted to leave, including South Sudanese.
Kiir and Machar declared a ceasefire on Monday, ending the conflict that began on Thursday last week.
Riek Machar left Juba with his troops to an unknown location in the outskirts, but he said he is not planning for war.
Salva Kiir also said he does not want any more bloodshed in the world’s youngest nation, and reached out to Machar to return to the capital for talks to see the ceasefire hold.
