Latest news with #Kintu
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Sudan rescinds its decision to deny a deportee entry after the US revokes visas
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudanese officials said Tuesday that they will allow a foreign national entry into the country after their initial refusal to do so prompted the United States to revoke the visas of all its citizens. Congolese national Makula Kintu will be accepted into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' between South Sudan and the U.S., said foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen. Last Friday, officials refused entry to Kintu, who had been deported from the United States, saying he illegally used the travel documents of a South Sudanese national, Nimeri Garang. The following day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would revoke all visas for South Sudanese citizens because the country had failed to accept the return of its citizens deported from the United States 'in a timely manner.' On Monday, South Sudanese officials decried the move as unfair, saying Kintu's case was an isolated one and it had cooperated with all other deportation cases. The U.S had said it was 'prepared to review" the decision to revoke all visas "when South Sudan is in full cooperation.' Edmund Yakani, executive director for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a local advocacy group, applauded the South Sudanese government's decision to allow Kintu into the country. 'The issues associated with the identity of the deportee should be handled legally without harming the South Sudanese in totality,' Yakani told The Associated Press. South Sudan's political landscape is fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed opposition groups has escalated tensions. Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged regional and international leaders to prevent South Sudan from falling 'over the abyss' into another civil war.
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
South Sudan rescinds its decision to deny a deportee entry after the US revokes visas
South Sudanese officials said Tuesday that they will allow a foreign national entry into the country after their initial refusal to do so prompted the United States to revoke the visas of all its citizens. Congolese national Makula Kintu will be accepted into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' between South Sudan and the U.S., said foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen. Last Friday, officials refused entry to Kintu, who had been deported from the United States, saying he illegally used the travel documents of a South Sudanese national, Nimeri Garang. The following day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would revoke all visas for South Sudanese citizens because the country had failed to accept the return of its citizens deported from the United States 'in a timely manner.' On Monday, South Sudanese officials decried the move as unfair, saying Kintu's case was an isolated one and it had cooperated with all other deportation cases. The U.S had said it was 'prepared to review" the decision to revoke all visas "when South Sudan is in full cooperation.' Edmund Yakani, executive director for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a local advocacy group, applauded the South Sudanese government's decision to allow Kintu into the country. 'The issues associated with the identity of the deportee should be handled legally without harming the South Sudanese in totality,' Yakani told The Associated Press. South Sudan's political landscape is fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed opposition groups has escalated tensions. Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged regional and international leaders to prevent South Sudan from falling 'over the abyss' into another civil war.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
South Sudan rescinds its decision to deny a deportee entry after the US revokes visas
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudanese officials said Tuesday that they will allow a foreign national entry into the country after their initial refusal to do so prompted the United States to revoke the visas of all its citizens. Congolese national Makula Kintu will be accepted into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' between South Sudan and the U.S., said foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen. Last Friday, officials refused entry to Kintu, who had been deported from the United States, saying he illegally used the travel documents of a South Sudanese national, Nimeri Garang. The following day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would revoke all visas for South Sudanese citizens because the country had failed to accept the return of its citizens deported from the United States 'in a timely manner.' On Monday, South Sudanese officials decried the move as unfair, saying Kintu's case was an isolated one and it had cooperated with all other deportation cases. The U.S had said it was 'prepared to review' the decision to revoke all visas 'when South Sudan is in full cooperation.' Edmund Yakani, executive director for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a local advocacy group, applauded the South Sudanese government's decision to allow Kintu into the country. 'The issues associated with the identity of the deportee should be handled legally without harming the South Sudanese in totality,' Yakani told The Associated Press. South Sudan's political landscape is fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed opposition groups has escalated tensions.
CNN
08-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
South Sudan to admit man deported by US after blanket visa ban
South Sudan has reversed its decision to deny entry to a man it said was a Congolese national deported by the United States after Washington imposed a blanket visa ban on South Sudanese citizens. In a dramatic U-turn on Tuesday, South Sudan's foreign ministry said the government had chosen to admit the deportee, identified as Makula Kintu, 'in the spirit of the friendly relations between South Sudan and the United States.' US President Donald Trump has heavily cracked down on immigration since his return to power in January and has launched a series of deportation actions in recent months. On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that visas held by South Sudanese citizens were being revoked and no new visas would be granted to people from the country over their government's failure to receive deportees 'in a timely manner.' South Sudan, the world's youngest nation and one of its poorest is already troubled by armed conflict in its northern region that threatens to plunge it back into another civil war. On Monday, the South Sudanese foreign ministry clarified that Kintu arrived at the Juba International Airport in the country's capital on Saturday with a travel document that was not his. According to the ministry, he presented 'a South Sudanese travel document under the name Nimeri Garang' to immigration officials. However, a series of verifications revealed that he was not Garang and instead identified him as Kintu — a citizen of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 'He (Kintu) was not admitted (into South Sudan) and was subsequently returned to the sending country (the US) for further processing,' it added. The ministry explained it was awaiting the arrival of the actual Garang, whom it said the South Sudanese embassy in Washington had been notified by the US State Department of his deportation and scheduled arrival in Juba next month. US authorities are yet to comment on the nationality discrepancy. The South Sudanese foreign ministry cited information on Kintu's travel history supplied by the US Department of Homeland Security which stated that he initially arrived in the US in 2003 'and voluntarily departed for the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009.' It added that Kintu 're-entered the United States illegally on July 10, 2016' and that while he was being questioned Saturday by immigration officials at the Juba airport, Kintu 'stated that he hails from the Ema tribe of the Northern Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo and added that he was brought to South Sudan against his will.' In its latest communication Tuesday, the ministry noted that Kintu would nonetheless be allowed to enter South Sudan when he arrives again on Wednesday. 'The Government of the Republic of South Sudan remains committed to supporting the return of verified South Sudanese nationals who are scheduled for deportation from the United States,' the foreign ministry said.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Sudan to admit man deported by US after blanket visa ban
South Sudan has reversed its decision to deny entry to a man it said was a Congolese national deported by the United States after Washington imposed a blanket visa ban on South Sudanese citizens. In a dramatic U-turn on Tuesday, South Sudan's foreign ministry said the government had chosen to admit the deportee, identified as Makula Kintu, 'in the spirit of the friendly relations between South Sudan and the United States.' US President Donald Trump has heavily cracked down on immigration since his return to power in January and has launched a series of deportation actions in recent months. On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that visas held by South Sudanese citizens were being revoked and no new visas would be granted to people from the country over their government's failure to receive deportees 'in a timely manner.' South Sudan, the world's youngest nation and one of its poorest is already troubled by armed conflict in its northern region that threatens to plunge it back into another civil war. On Monday, the South Sudanese foreign ministry clarified that Kintu arrived at the Juba International Airport in the country's capital on Saturday with a travel document that was not his. According to the ministry, he presented 'a South Sudanese travel document under the name Nimeri Garang' to immigration officials. However, a series of verifications revealed that he was not Garang and instead identified him as Kintu — a citizen of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 'He (Kintu) was not admitted (into South Sudan) and was subsequently returned to the sending country (the US) for further processing,' it added. The ministry explained it was awaiting the arrival of the actual Garang, whom it said the South Sudanese embassy in Washington had been notified by the US State Department of his deportation and scheduled arrival in Juba next month. US authorities are yet to comment on the nationality discrepancy. The South Sudanese foreign ministry cited information on Kintu's travel history supplied by the US Department of Homeland Security which stated that he initially arrived in the US in 2003 'and voluntarily departed for the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009.' It added that Kintu 're-entered the United States illegally on July 10, 2016' and that while he was being questioned Saturday by immigration officials at the Juba airport, Kintu 'stated that he hails from the Ema tribe of the Northern Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo and added that he was brought to South Sudan against his will.' In its latest communication Tuesday, the ministry noted that Kintu would nonetheless be allowed to enter South Sudan when he arrives again on Wednesday. 'The Government of the Republic of South Sudan remains committed to supporting the return of verified South Sudanese nationals who are scheduled for deportation from the United States,' the foreign ministry said.
