The African Union (AU) stated that South Sudanese warring sides responsible for prolonging conflicts must be punished. The union also threatened to impose sanctions on leaders who violate ceasefires. "We need to act against those who, with impunity, are continuing to massacre their peaceful populations," the head of the African Union commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, told reporters at the AU Summit.
Ceasefires have been repeatedly violated and last week the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and the internationally-backed ceasefire monitoring team both called for sanctions on leaders who instigated violence.
Mahamat's statement is important because many African countries have been divided on how best to deal with the violence in South Sudan. Mahamat did not specify whether the AU was referring to travel bans, asset freezes or arms embargoes – all options that have been discussed.
"All the agreements that have been signed have been violated," he said. "Here (at the AU), we have provisions on sanctions."
Some top officials close to Kiir have already been sanctioned by the United States, including the once-powerful army chief Paul Malong, who was later, fired and forced into exile when he quarreled with the president. The United States wants to impose an arms embargo, but may face resistance at the U.N. from China, who has invested heavily in South Sudan's oil fields.