{"id":323814,"date":"2017-05-30T15:59:13","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T15:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=323814"},"modified":"2017-05-30T15:59:13","modified_gmt":"2017-05-30T15:59:13","slug":"south-sudan-soldiers-on-trial-over-rape-of-aid-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/05\/south-sudan-soldiers-on-trial-over-rape-of-aid-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"South Sudan soldiers on trial over rape of aid workers"},"content":{"rendered":"
Thirteen South Sudanese soldiers have gone on trial accused of raping foreign aid workers and murdering their local colleague.<\/p>\n
The incident in the capital, Juba, last July resulted in a UN report which accused UN peacekeepers of failing in their duty to protect civilians.<\/p>\n
It happened as rival forces in the civil war clashed in the city.<\/p>\n
The soldiers’ lawyer said the allegations were untrue, Reuters news agency reports.<\/p>\n
The incident happened in a rebel-controlled area, he added<\/p>\n
Peace efforts have failed to bring an end to the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict, which has seen forces loyal to President Salva Kiir fighting troops who back former Vice-President Riek Machar.<\/p>\n