UNITED NATIONS, Rabi'I 24, 1438, Dec 23, 2016, SPA -- The U.N. Security Council defeated a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would have imposed an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan on Friday, rejecting arguments that it would help diminish fighting and avoid mass atrocities, AP reported. In order for a resolution to be adopted by the U.N.'s most powerful body it needs nine "yes" votes and no veto by a permanent member. In Friday's vote, seven council members voted in favor of the resolution and eight abstained, so it was rejected. U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told the council after the vote that the resolution was meant "to show that the architects of mass atrocities and those who defy the demands of the Security Council day in, day out, will face consequences." She said the resolution "would not have been a panacea — we are not naive ... but the arms embargo would have had some significant effects" in slowing the import of weapons and reducing the violence. There were high hopes that South Sudan would have peace and stability after its independence from neighboring Sudan in 2011. But the country plunged into ethnic violence in December 2013 when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, a Dinka, started battling those loyal to Riek Machar, his former vice president who is a Nuer. A peace deal signed in August 2015 has not stopped the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of people and forced 3.1 million to flee their homes. The Security Council adopted a resolution in August authorizing 4,000 troops from African nations to beef up the more than 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force in South Sudan, and said if the government didn't comply it would consider an arms embargo. -- SPA 20:38 LOCAL TIME 17:38 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w297315