U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Warns South Sudan That Their Future Is At Grave Risk

Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to employees at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Monday, May 4, 2015, in Nairobi, Kenya. Kerry is visiting Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Djibouti on his trip. Reuters/Andrew Harnik/Pool

Reuters: South Sudan's future at grave risk - Kerry

NAIROBI May 4 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday that South Sudan's government and rebels had failed to make compromises needed to end a civil conflict and that this was putting the future of the world's youngest nation at "grave risk".

South Sudan split from Sudan as an independent nation in 2011, helped by the political and financial backing of the United States and other Western powers.

But a political crisis between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, who he sacked as his deputy in 2013, erupted into a conflict in December of that year. Fighting has rumbled on since then with both sides ignoring repeated agreements to stop.

Update #1: Kerry makes emotional appeal to So. Sudan’s warring leaders -- Washington Post/AP
Update #2: Kerry endorses ‘hybrid court’ to try South Sudan crimes -- The Guardian/AFP

WNU Editor: South Sudan's as a nation state has all but imploded into a failed and dysfunctional country. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's warnings are .... unfortunately .... too late.