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South Sudan capital hit by gunfire amid coup reports South Sudan capital hit by gunfire amid coup reports
(about 1 hour later)
A South Sudanese official says a group of disgruntled soldiers and politicians led by a former vice-president have attempted to overthrow the government.A South Sudanese official says a group of disgruntled soldiers and politicians led by a former vice-president have attempted to overthrow the government.
Foreign minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said on Monday some troops within the main army base in the capital, Juba, raided the weapons store and were repulsed. Benjamin says casualties are still unknown. Foreign minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said on Monday that some troops within the main army base in the capital Juba had raided the weapons store but were repulsed. Casualty figures were still not known, her added.
He said some politicians have been arrested but could not confirm if former vice-president Riek Machar, who he said led the attempt, was among them. Benjamin said a number of politicians had been arrested, but he could not confirm if the former vice-president Riek Machar, who he said led the attempt, was among them.
The president has ordered a dawn-to-dusk curfew.The president has ordered a dawn-to-dusk curfew.
Sporadic gunfire was heard early on Monday in Juba, in what a senior military official said were clashes between factions of the country's military. Some military installations had come under attack from armed soldiers who have since been repulsed, said Col Philip Aguer, the South Sudan military spokesman.
Some military installations in Juba had come under attack from armed soldiers who have since been repulsed, said Col Philip Aguer, the South Sudan military spokesman.
"So far the army is in full control of Juba," he said."So far the army is in full control of Juba," he said.
Heavily armed soldiers patrolled the streets of Juba early on Monday amid sporadic gunfire emerging from Juba's main army barracks. The streets were largely empty of civilians, with most residents staying indoors. EgyptAir reported that it had cancelled its flight to the city on Monday, saying the airport there was closed. Heavily armed soldiers patrolled the streets early on Monday amid sporadic gunfire emerging from the city's main army barracks in what a senior military official said were clashes between factions of the military. The streets were largely empty of civilians, with most residents staying indoors. EgyptAir reported that it had cancelled its flight to Juba on Monday, saying the city's airport was closed.
There has been political tension in the world's youngest country since the president, Salva Kiir, fired Machar as his deputy in July.There has been political tension in the world's youngest country since the president, Salva Kiir, fired Machar as his deputy in July.
Machar, who has expressed a willingness to contest the presidency in 2015, said after he was fired that if the country is to be united it cannot tolerate a "one man's rule or it cannot tolerate dictatorship". His ousting, part of a wider dismissal of the entire cabinet by Kiir, had followed reports of a power struggle within the ruling party. Machar, who has said he might contest the presidency in 2015, said after he was fired that if the country was to be united it could not tolerate "one man's rule" or "dictatorship". Kiir sacked Machar along with the rest of the cabinet following reports of a power struggle within the ruling party.
At the time, the US and the EU urged calm amid fears the dismissals could spark political upheaval in the country. At the time, the US and the EU urged calm amid fears the dismissals could spark political upheaval.
While Kiir is leader of the ruling SPLM party, many of the dismissed ministers, including Machar, were key figures in the rebel movement that fought a decades-long war against Sudan that led to South Sudan's independence in 2011.
The local Sudan Tribune newspaper reported on its website that military clashes erupted late on Sunday between members of the presidential guard, in fighting that seemed to pit soldiers from Kiir's Dinka tribe against those from the Nuer tribe of Machar.The local Sudan Tribune newspaper reported on its website that military clashes erupted late on Sunday between members of the presidential guard, in fighting that seemed to pit soldiers from Kiir's Dinka tribe against those from the Nuer tribe of Machar.
In a message to American citizens Monday, the US embassy in Juba said it had received "reports from multiple reliable sources of ongoing security incidents and sporadic gunfire in multiple locations" across Juba. The US embassy in Juba said it had received "reports from multiple reliable sources of ongoing security incidents and sporadic gunfire in multiple locations" across Juba. It was unable to confirm that the clashes were over, it said.
"The US embassy has not been able to confirm that gunfire and insecurity have fully ceased," the message said. "The embassy recommends that all US citizens exercise extra caution at all times. The US embassy will continue to closely monitor the security environment in South Sudan, with particular attention to Juba city and its immediate surroundings, and will advise US citizens further if the security situation changes." Hilde Johnson, the special representative of the UN secretary general for South Sudan, said in a statement that the UN mission in Juba was deeply concerned over the fighting.
Hilde Johnson, special representative of the UN secretary-general for South Sudan, said in a statement that the UN mission in Juba was "deeply concerned" over the fighting that broke out late on Sunday and which continued on Monday. "I urge all parties in the fighting to cease hostilities immediately and exercise restraint," the statement said. "I have been in touch regularly with the key leaders, including at the highest levels to call for calm."
"As the special representative of the secretary general I urge all parties in the fighting to cease hostilities immediately and exercise restraint," the statement sad. "I have been in touch regularly with the key leaders, including at the highest levels to call for calm."
South Sudan has experienced bouts of ethnic violence, especially in rural Jonglei state, since the country peacefully broke away from Sudan after a brutal civil war.South Sudan has experienced bouts of ethnic violence, especially in rural Jonglei state, since the country peacefully broke away from Sudan after a brutal civil war.
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