South Sudan’s central government has lost control of the capital of a key oil-producing state, the military said, as renegade forces loyal to a former deputy president seized more territory in fighting that has raised fears of full-blown civil war in the world’s newest country.
Bentiu, the capital of oil-rich Unity state, is now controlled by a military commander loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar, said Colonel Philip Aguer, the South Sudanese military spokesman.
“Bentiu is in the hands of a commander who has declared support for Machar,” he said. “Bentiu is not in our hands.”
The armed rebels were said to be in control days earlier of some of South Sudan’s oil fields, which have historically been a target for rebel movements, endangering the country’s economic lifeblood. South Sudan gets nearly 99% of its government budget from oil revenues.
Although the country’s capital, Juba, is mostly peaceful a week after a dispute among members of the presidential guard triggered violent clashes between military factions, fighting continues as the central government tries to assert authority in the states of Unity and Jonglei.
Bor, the capital of Jonglei, is said to be the scene of some of the fiercest clashes between government troops and rebels.
Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s information minister, said Mr Machar was believed to be hiding somewhere in Unity state.
William Hague has called on the South Sudanese government to work for peace as he warned Britons to flee the increasingly “dangerous” troubled African state.
The foreign secretary said he remains “very concerned” about the growing violence in the country and yesterday talked to his counterpart, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, to push for a political solution.
A final plane is being sent to the capital city of Juba today to evacuate British nationals. Officials have warned that the government will struggle to help anyone who chooses to stay behind.
The UN Mission in South Sudan said in a statement that all non-critical staff in Juba are being evacuated to Uganda. The mission said the move was “a precautionary measure” as it continues to provide assistance and shelter to more than 20,000 civilians gathered inside its compounds in Juba.