South Sudan War Crimes: UN: Human rights situation worsening amid ongoing conflict

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UN human rights investigators say up to 40 officials in South Sudan may be individually responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The investigators from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan say the human rights situation there continues to worsen. CGTN's Patrick Oyet reports.

The UN human rights investigators say crimes being committed by all sides in the conflict include rape, castrations and ethnic abuses.

EUGENE NINDORERA HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR, UNMISS "Many victims told us that they had not launched a formal complaint due to fear of reprisal as many violations were allegedly perpetrated by powerful figures and prominent institutions."

South Sudanese army is requesting the UN to provide names of officers suspected of having committed crimes so that it can take action.

BRIG. GEN. LUL RUAI KOANG SPOKESPERSON, SOUTH SUDANESE ARMY "We have stepped up our fight against impunity and we are taking the issue of accountability seriously and every SPLA officer, NCO and private who is involved in criminal activity is being punished."

The UN human rights investigators say they now want to preserve some of the evidence they are collecting so that they can be used to bring suspects to book in future.

PATRICK OYET JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN "The war in South Sudan, which began in 2013, has displaced millions of people and killed thousands, the East African regional body IGAD is trying to find a way to end the violence but peace remains elusive. Patrick Oyet, CGTN, Juba South Sudan."