Fiji to pull out peacekeepers in South Sudan if situation escalates

The Fijian government is on standby to pull out Fiji's peacekeepers in South Sudan if the African country's civil war escalates, local media reported Monday.

Timoci Natuva, minister of defense and national security told local news website Fijivillage.com that the Fijian peacekeepers are safe and the government keeps getting daily situational reports from them.

Thirteen Fijian peacekeepers, including five soldiers and eight police officers are in South Sudan.

The peacekeepers are facing difficulties in carrying out their work, as a stable government has not been formed in the African country, Natuva said, adding that the Fijians will act accordingly if an official warning is issued by the United Nations.

Clashes in South Sudan have left thousands of people dead and forced around 1.9 million South Sudanese to flee their homes.

The Fijian government through the UN has been helping with the negotiations for a lasting peace deal between the government and rebels in South Sudan, Natuva said.

Fiji has deployed over 1,000 peacekeepers to foreign countries such as Syria, Egypt, Iraq, South Sudan, Sudan and Liberia.