(Reuters) – Gunshots rang out through the night in South Sudan’s capital Juba and blasts could be heard on Monday morning, said a Reuters witness in the city, where political tension has been high since President Salva Kiir fired his deputy in July.
“The fighting started last night. It was sporadic gunfire. But then at 6 a.m. this morning it intensified and you could hear explosions,” said a Reuters reporter in Juba.
(Reporting by Carl Odera in Juba; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Edmund Blair, John Stonestreet)
BBC
South Sudan capital Juba hit by gunfire
Heavy gunfire and explosions have been heard through the night in the South Sudanese capital Juba, say reports.
The UN mission in Juba said staff there were under lockdown and that the shooting was continuous.
Correspondents say it was not immediately clear what was taking place but that the firing appeared to be focused around military barracks.
December 15, 2013 (JUBA) – Military clashes have occurred between the presidential guards of South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir in the capital, Juba.
Sundan Tribune
The clashes occurred from about 10pm last night in the old military barracks inside the capital and continued intensively for about one hour before one group was expelled.
Sporadic gunfire rocked the new nation’s capital over night sending residents into a state of panic as movements were controlled by the military.
Military sources said the clashes between the Tiger special force occurred when one group predominantly of Nuer was suspicious in the deployments of the other group dominated by the Dinka, further turning the arguments into deadly clashes.
The source said the group predominantly of Nuer have expelled their colleagues predominantly of Dinka, composed mostly of those who were recently graduated by president Kiir at Luri bridge and deployed at the old military barracks.
The situation is now calm, but tense amidst fears that it may escalate as soldiers have been deploying in various strategic locations. No casualties have been reported so far.
Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that the fighting was fierce as those chased out of the barracks withdrew into the rest of the city.
ARMY URGES CALM
The South Sudan’s army, meanwhile, warned residents of the capital, Juba, to remain in their homes after gun shoots and explosions were heard overnight.
“We request people to remains in their residences until we establish the actual cause of the shootings”, Phillip Aguer, the SPLA’s spokesperson told Sudan Tribune.
The army, Aguer said, regrets the unfortunate incident which has left the Juba population in a state of panic, but gave no further details on casualties involved.
In 2006, a similar incident occurred when part of the military mutinied over unpaid salaries prompting fierce battle between forces loyal to the establishment and the mutineers at a military barracks at Gumbo, a few kilometers out of Juba town.
The situation was tense with reports of casualties and civilians beaten up on the streets by the mutineers as the military prevented people from moving out of their houses.
More details to follow.
(ST)
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