South Sudan rebels seize key town as violence grows

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/22/south-sudan-rebels-william-hague

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South Sudan's government has lost control of the capital of a key oil-producing state as an international operation to evacuate expatriates took on new urgency.

The UK foreign secretary, William Hague, advised Britons to leave the increasingly "dangerous" African state.

He said he remained "very concerned" about the growing violence in the country and on Sunday talked to his South Sudanese counterpart, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, to push for a political solution. World leaders have looked on with growing anxiety as violent clashes between rebel forces loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar and the government army threatens to draw the world's newest country into civil war.

Colonel Philip Aguer, the South Sudanese military spokesman, announced on Sunday that Bentiu, the capital of oil-rich Unity state, had fallen to rebel forces. "Bentiu is in the hands of a commander who has declared support for Machar," he said. "Bentiu is not in our hands."

British military transport planes have been used to bring home two groups of British nationals and officials in recent days. A final plane is being sent to the capital city of Juba on Monday and officials have warned the government would struggle to help anyone who chose to stay behind.

Hague said: "I remain very concerned at the situation in South Sudan. Increased political polarisation and inter-communal tensions are fuelling a dangerous situation. It is vital that all leaders urge restraint on their supporters and commit to a political resolution of their differences.South Sudan has a legitimate, democratically elected government. Resorting to military means to further political rivalries is a betrayal of the hopes on which the new state of South Sudan was founded.

"I have underlined my concerns with the South Sudanese foreign minister today and urged his government to work for political reconciliation on the basis of the proposals put forward by regional foreign ministers during their visit to Juba on 20-21 December. He has reassured me of the government's openness to dialogue without preconditions.

"I thanked minister Marial Benjamin for the assistance that the South Sudanese authorities and he personally have given to ensure the smooth turnaround of our evacuation flights this week. I encourage any remaining British nationals to take advantage of the third flight that we are making available on 23 December."

On Saturday, three US military aircraft attempting to airlift American citizens from Bor, the capital of the state of Jonglei, came under fire, injuring four American service personnel and forcing the US military to abort the mission. Elsewhere in the same state, which has suffered the brunt of the week-long violence, a UN helicopter was shot down.

Fighting has spread through the newly formed East African state, which gained its independence in 2011, following a reported coup attempt in the capital last weekend. The United Nations has estimated that up to 500 people have been killed in the ensuing violence.

The archbishop of canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Vatican called for the nation's weak and poor to be "spared the trauma of conflict".

IAny Britons in South Sudan wanting to leave on the flight on Monday should contact the FCO as soon as possible on +44 207 008 1500 or by email at crisisfco.gsi.gov.uk.

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