UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said Thursday that South Sudan government (SPLA) security forces have killed and raped citizens and looted and destroyed public and private property. The rights chief called on the UN Security Council to take stronger action against these events. While the report explains that some civilian deaths occurred because of combatant cross fire, there have been reported events where civilians were summarily executed by SPLA soldiers. It is estimated that the civilian death toll is more than 70, but that number is believed to be much higher.

Human rights concerns have been widespread concerning South Sudan. Last month Chaloka Beyani [official profile], UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs), condemned [press release] recent attacks on IDPs and civilians in South Sudan [JURIST report]. In June UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed [JURIST report] shock at the increasing number of children recruited and killed in armed conflicts in several countries, including South Sudan. In May Amnesty International reported [JURIST report] that dozens of detainees in South Sudan are being held in inhumane conditions. In April six human rights organizations called [JURIST report] for the next UN Secretary-General to do everything he or she can do to protect innocent civilians whose nation faced armed conflict, including South Sudan. In March the UN Human Rights Council decided [JURIST report] to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in South Sudan.