A/HRC/34/63 existing State boundaries to the benefit of the Dinka majority tribe and that has undermined the peace agreement significantly. The decision has also been challenged on the grounds that it violates the peace agreement and the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, which officially recognizes 10 States in South Sudan. The demarcation has caused a great deal of resentment among minority ethnic communities, who describe it as a land-grabbing measure aimed at increasing the control of the Dinka ethnic group over vital resources, such as oil. On 14 January 2017, President Kiir further exacerbated the situation by creating an additional four States by decree, bringing the total to 32. 15. Intense fighting broke out in Juba from 7 to 11 July 2016 between forces loyal to President Kiir and those supporting the former First Vice-President, Dr. Machar. In the aftermath of the fighting, more than 36,000 civilians sought refuge in United Nations and aid organization compounds; hundreds of people were killed, including civilians and two United Nations peacekeepers. UNMISS reported more than 217 incidents of sexual violence perpetrated by the warring parties during the four days of fighting. On 11 July, in Juba, SPLA forces attacked the Terrain Hotel housing international humanitarian workers, killing a Nuer journalist and beating and raping several foreign aid workers. 16. The violence in Juba quickly spread to other parts of the Equatoria region as SPLA carried out intense military operations in pursuit of suspected opposition members believed to have fled through the region en route to neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Government’s military operations, conducted predominantly by Dinka troops, reignited long-standing fears and mistrust between the Equatoria communities and Dinkas. The increasingly strained relations between the two communities has been exemplified by an upsurge in hate speech and in incitement to violence, as well as in incidents targeting individuals and communities based on ethnicity. 17. Riek Machar escaped from Juba and resurfaced weeks later, injured, with 800 of his men in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Citing fears for his life, he announced that he would only return to Juba when an international force was deployed there. President Kiir declared that Dr. Machar had abandoned his position and subsequently issued a decree appointing Taban Deng Gai, a former chief negotiator of SPLM/A in Opposition, as First Vice-President. 18. In the aftermath of the July violence, regional bodies, including IGAD and the African Union, called upon the Security Council to establish a regional protection force to stem the violence and to protect civilians. On 12 August, the Council extended the mandate of UNMISS and authorized a regional protection force of 4,000 troops to bolster its capacity. The newly authorized force is mandated to, inter alia, provide a safe and secure environment in and around Juba, and protect United Nations staff, humanitarian actors and civilians. While the Government has in principle agreed to the new force, it has continued to delay its deployment. Some government officials recently declared that the protection force is no longer needed because stability has returned to Juba, which has raised concerns about the Government’s commitment to the force. B. Humanitarian situation 19. The humanitarian situation continued to deteriorate during the period under review because of the ongoing conflict. Fighting between government and opposition forces intensified in the Equatorias as well as other parts of the country, including Western Bahr el Ghazal and the Upper Nile region. The country has been plunged into a severe economic crisis. It is dependent on oil revenues for its income; current reserve estimates indicate, however, that oil production will decline to negligible levels by 2035. Furthermore, the economic downturn has triggered inflation, which has reportedly reached a rate of 900 per cent on the black market. 5