“The Special Investigation found that UNMISS did not respond effectively to the violence due to an overall lack of leadership, preparedness and integration among the various components of the mission,” the office asserted in a statement summarizing the report’s findings. “These factors contributed to the failure of UNMISS to respond to the attack by Government soldiers on the Terrain [hotel] on 11 July and protect civilians under threat.”
The investigation, led by retired Dutch military officer Patrick Cammaert, determined that the world body’s South Sudan mission, UNMISS, faced extreme dangers and was caught in the crossfire during three days of fighting that claimed at least 73 lives, including two UN peacekeepers, and injured dozens of other people.
Upon receiving the report, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked that the UNMISS commander be replaced, effective immediately, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters following the report’s release.
This summer, a period of relative stability in South Sudan deteriorated, culminating in July’s clashes between government and opposition forces, during which the Terrain hotel, a mile from UNMISS headquarters, was attacked. In August, Ban named Cammaert to lead the investigation into the violence.
The investigation also addressed related reports of sexual violence against civilians housed at UN-protected sties in Juba.
