WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that the U.S. is revoking all visas held by South Sudan passport holders, accusing African governments of “using the United States.”
“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner,” Rubio said in a statement.
Rubio said that in addition to revoking the visa, the United States will “prevent further issuance to prevent South Sudanese passport holders from entering the United States.”
South Sudan’s political landscape is fragile, and the latest violence between government forces and armed opposition groups has escalated tensions.
Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged regional and international leaders to prevent South Sudan from “crossing the abyss” into another civil war.
Guterres warned that one of the world’s newest and poorest countries is facing a “security emergency” that eventually led to the arrest of first vice president Riek Machar last week as the conflict intensified and “political unrest”.
