Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State John Kerry says peace is the only option for South Sudan as the African nation endures a wave of targeted ethnic violence.
Recent ethnic strife in South Sudan is estimated to have killed hundreds. The U.N. Security Council has expressed "grave alarm" over rapidly deteriorating security crisis.
In a statement Friday night, Kerry says the people of South Sudan have endured far too many years of conflict and sacrificed far too much to allow their young country to plunge back into turmoil.
Kerry says he called South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Thursday night and urged him to protect all citizens and to work toward reconciliation.
The U.S. special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan is set visit the region to support efforts aimed at peace.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
