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| South Sudan factional fighting leaves dozens dead | South Sudan factional fighting leaves dozens dead |
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| Two days of fighting between rival factions in South Sudan's army have left parts of the capital in ruins and prompted fears of a bloodbath in the world's youngest country. | Two days of fighting between rival factions in South Sudan's army have left parts of the capital in ruins and prompted fears of a bloodbath in the world's youngest country. |
| Street battles and clashes at an army barracks have left at least 59 people dead, more than 400 wounded - including some civilians - and resulted in more than 16,000 people seeking refuge at United Nations facilities. What began on Sunday night as an alleged coup attempt now threatens to unstitch deep ethnic divides in a nation awash with arms and still recovering from a devastating war that led to its secession in 2011 from the north. | Street battles and clashes at an army barracks have left at least 59 people dead, more than 400 wounded - including some civilians - and resulted in more than 16,000 people seeking refuge at United Nations facilities. What began on Sunday night as an alleged coup attempt now threatens to unstitch deep ethnic divides in a nation awash with arms and still recovering from a devastating war that led to its secession in 2011 from the north. |
| Salva Kiir, the president of the two and half year old nation, has accused his sacked vice president, Riek Machar, of an attempt to seize power and labelled him a "prophet of doom". The whereabouts of Machar are unknown and his home in Juba has been bombarded by tanks. | Salva Kiir, the president of the two and half year old nation, has accused his sacked vice president, Riek Machar, of an attempt to seize power and labelled him a "prophet of doom". The whereabouts of Machar are unknown and his home in Juba has been bombarded by tanks. |
| Most prominent critics of the president, including at least seven former government ministers, have been rounded up in the last two days by security forces. | Most prominent critics of the president, including at least seven former government ministers, have been rounded up in the last two days by security forces. |
| Susan Page, the US ambassador to South Sudan, said by telephone from Juba: "the way they're going after searching for people is really causing fear." | Susan Page, the US ambassador to South Sudan, said by telephone from Juba: "the way they're going after searching for people is really causing fear." |
| Later, the US state department said it was ordering all non-essential US officials to leave the country and suspending normal operations at the embassy in Juba because of the unrest. | |
| The United Nations Security Council was due to discuss the crisis on Tuesday night as reports emerged of factional fighting in Pibor in the restive Jonglei state near the border with Ethiopia. | |
| "Even if there's a political deal it will be very difficult to put the genie back in the bottle," said Casie Copeland, South Sudan analyst for the Brussels-based think-tank the International Crisis Group. "The impact of this fighting is going to shape the future of South Sudan." | "Even if there's a political deal it will be very difficult to put the genie back in the bottle," said Casie Copeland, South Sudan analyst for the Brussels-based think-tank the International Crisis Group. "The impact of this fighting is going to shape the future of South Sudan." |
| Thousands of desperate civilians have ignored security assurances from their government and crowded around two United Nations bases in the capital seeking the protection of a small peacekeeping force. Toby Lanzer, a senior United Nations official in Juba, said some "16,000 people and counting" have sought shelter in and around two bases. | Thousands of desperate civilians have ignored security assurances from their government and crowded around two United Nations bases in the capital seeking the protection of a small peacekeeping force. Toby Lanzer, a senior United Nations official in Juba, said some "16,000 people and counting" have sought shelter in and around two bases. |
| A dawn to dusk curfew has left many terrified residents in hiding with witnesses describing blasts that "shook the earth" from several locations in the city. | A dawn to dusk curfew has left many terrified residents in hiding with witnesses describing blasts that "shook the earth" from several locations in the city. |
| Meanwhile, the capital's poorly-equipped hospitals have been overrun by wounded soldiers and a trickle of civilians casualties. Ajak Bullen, a doctor at Juba's military hospital, said that the number of wounded had reached 400, with at least 59 people dead. "We've lost quite a big number, especially soldiers and the problem is we have a lack of blood. At another Juba hospital, Dr Wani Mena said patients were still arriving, including civilians, suffering from gunshot wounds. | Meanwhile, the capital's poorly-equipped hospitals have been overrun by wounded soldiers and a trickle of civilians casualties. Ajak Bullen, a doctor at Juba's military hospital, said that the number of wounded had reached 400, with at least 59 people dead. "We've lost quite a big number, especially soldiers and the problem is we have a lack of blood. At another Juba hospital, Dr Wani Mena said patients were still arriving, including civilians, suffering from gunshot wounds. |
| Much of the focus on South Sudan's troubled first steps into nationhood has concentrated on rows over oil and borders with rump Sudan. But unresolved grievances between the main southern communities, not least the decades' old political rivalry between Kiir and Machar have festered behind the scenes of the Sudan's People's Liberation Movement, the guerrilla force that is now the ruling party. | Much of the focus on South Sudan's troubled first steps into nationhood has concentrated on rows over oil and borders with rump Sudan. But unresolved grievances between the main southern communities, not least the decades' old political rivalry between Kiir and Machar have festered behind the scenes of the Sudan's People's Liberation Movement, the guerrilla force that is now the ruling party. |
| The fighting began on Sunday night among the multi-ethnic presidential guard stationed at a barracks on the outskirts of Juba. Rumours that Machar, who hails from the Nuer ethnic group, had been arrested appear to have sparked a confrontation with soldiers from the larger Dinka tribe, of which the president, Kiir, is a member. Both sides rearmed and widespread fighting began again in the early hours of Monday with heavy weapons deployed. | The fighting began on Sunday night among the multi-ethnic presidential guard stationed at a barracks on the outskirts of Juba. Rumours that Machar, who hails from the Nuer ethnic group, had been arrested appear to have sparked a confrontation with soldiers from the larger Dinka tribe, of which the president, Kiir, is a member. Both sides rearmed and widespread fighting began again in the early hours of Monday with heavy weapons deployed. |
| Tensions in the oil-producing nation have been dangerously high since the president sacked his entire cabinet in July in a move seen as an effort to pre-empt a political power grab by his deputy. | Tensions in the oil-producing nation have been dangerously high since the president sacked his entire cabinet in July in a move seen as an effort to pre-empt a political power grab by his deputy. |
| Diplomats who have known the former guerrilla commander since the civil war years say he has become increasingly authoritarian and no longer consults the foreign donors on which the impoverished country relies. | Diplomats who have known the former guerrilla commander since the civil war years say he has become increasingly authoritarian and no longer consults the foreign donors on which the impoverished country relies. |
| "This is not the Salva Kiir we knew seven years ago," said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since the crisis began he has discarded his trademark American cowboy hat and appeared on national television in a military uniform. | "This is not the Salva Kiir we knew seven years ago," said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since the crisis began he has discarded his trademark American cowboy hat and appeared on national television in a military uniform. |
| The fact that the fighting began because of paranoia and ethnic divisions in the presidential guard is a further sign of the deteriorating situation in a country where some of the smaller communities resent what they see as Dinka domination, or a "Dinkocracy". The presidential guard, which until recently was hailed as a big step in integration, has come apart at the seams. Were similar grievances to come violently to the surface in the rest of the country then mayhem would follow. | The fact that the fighting began because of paranoia and ethnic divisions in the presidential guard is a further sign of the deteriorating situation in a country where some of the smaller communities resent what they see as Dinka domination, or a "Dinkocracy". The presidential guard, which until recently was hailed as a big step in integration, has come apart at the seams. Were similar grievances to come violently to the surface in the rest of the country then mayhem would follow. |
| The army, the SPLA, was drawn together after a peace deal with the north in 2005 from disparate groups, many of whom had fought on different sides in 20 years of shifting fronts. | The army, the SPLA, was drawn together after a peace deal with the north in 2005 from disparate groups, many of whom had fought on different sides in 20 years of shifting fronts. |
| "Forget about the politics," said a security expert with close links to the military, the SPLA. "It's all about the cohesion of the SPLA and it looks as if it's collapsing." | "Forget about the politics," said a security expert with close links to the military, the SPLA. "It's all about the cohesion of the SPLA and it looks as if it's collapsing." |
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