JUBA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan peace monitors on Tuesday called on the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) to prevail on the parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement to cease all actions that further undermine trust and confidence in the peace process.

George Owinow, chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), said in a statement issued in the South Sudanese capital of Juba that the 2018 peace agreement is facing the most serious challenges amid ongoing fighting in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.

"As a result, political tensions in Juba and throughout the country have risen, and there is an urgent need to prevent them from rising further," Owinow said at the virtual 1265th Meeting of the AUPSC.

In January and February, clashes erupted between the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the main opposition Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal States.

Owinow called on the leadership of the parties to the 2018 peace agreement to desist from actions that may escalate tensions, undertake constructive dialogue, and speak with one voice. He also called on the parties to proceed with the constitution-making process and preparations for the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections in December 2026.

The chairperson urged the AUPSC to consider activating existing mechanisms in support of South Sudan, which could include the Panel of the Wise, to proactively engage with the parties going forward in a spirit of dialogue and reconciliation.

The remarks came after the SPLM/A-IO, led by First Vice President Riek Machar, said on Monday that it had stopped participation in some of the key security mechanisms until the government releases their detained members.

Several senior officials of the opposition were recently detained in the aftermath of clashes on March 4 between government troops and the White Army militia group linked to the SPLM/A-IO in Nasir. Enditem

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