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NEWS TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER 2013

South Sudan says military clashes contained, despite continous gunfire

December 17, 2013 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese government said it has managed to contain military clashes in the capital, Juba from spreading to its outskirts, despite congun battles that continued Tuesday morning

Fierce clashes, on Monday evening, occurred in Magiri, a military headquarters for the army’s second division, which currently covers the entire Eastern and parts of Central Equatoria states.

Till now, however, the usually busy Juba streets remain largely deserted as residents fear a serious deterioration in security, despite government assurance that it was in full control of the situation.

A Sudan Tribune reporter said soldiers on foot and in armored vehicles can be seen patrolling the city while armed men dressed in civilians clothes believed to be security agents were guarding key institutions, including the ministry complex and presidential palace.

Security forces are reportedly stopping motorists and search those deem suspicious, while most shops remain closed since Monday.

A joint security operation started last evening after President Salva Kiir announced a dust-to-dawn curfew from 6:00PM to 7:00AM.

It remains unclear as to how many people have been killed during the two days armed engagement, and government had not released comprehensive report on casualties involved.

The ministry of health, however, said it deployed 70 medical doctors to attend to over 113 people with gunshot wounds at Juba teaching hospital.

Aleu Ayeny Aleu, the country’s interior minister said the situation was under control.

“The general police command with other organs calls on the citizens to remain calm as they resume their normal duties. Your government is in full control of the general situation. The disgruntled soldiers are being hunted and evicted from the pockets where they are suspected to be hiding”, told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

But citizens have expressed safety fears as gunshots continued to be heard.

“When I came out today, I saw bodies everywhere. I recognized two friends and one three women lying dead. So I returned to the house and never went out again until the shooting subsided yesterday afternoon, Dominic Alfred”, a resident of Suksita said Tuesday.

Angelina Muite, another resident of Suksita said two of her children have been killed by a mortar fired into her house, bringing the house down and setting generator and television ablaze.

“She wept until we decided to call into a priest whom we took her to a nearby house to calm down. Priest biblically told her that her children have gone to the paradise”, a resident seated next Muite said.

The cabinet affairs minister, in a statement aired on the state owned SSTV, said he personally visited all key areas and Juba teaching hospital where he found 70 medical personnel, 10 of whom were trained specialists, including the undersecretary of the Ministry of health, busy attending to more than 113 people with gunshot wounds.

“I want to thank our ministry of health for this tremendous job well done. I went to Juba teaching hospital and I saw the work being done by our doctors. The ministry had deployed seventy medical doctors, 10 of them are trained specialists including our undersecretary, Makur Kuriom”, said Martin Lomuro.

He confirmed that 12 people had died and at least 113 were being treated in the hospital with gunshot wounds.

"From the 12 people who have died from this criminal act, three are women. They were killed during the shooting out”, added the minister who called for calm among citizens.

NO TRIBAL CONFLICT

Meanwhile, Lomuro dismissed reports that the incident was a tribal affair as alleged by sections of the masses, saying it was an act by "individuals with political interest".

“When I was moving today, I saw [a] large influx of Ugandans and our citizens from Nuer to UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan]. I want to say that what happened had nothing to do with tribe, but an act of by individual with political interest.

Today, the chief of staff of our army is a Nuer. We also have cabinet ministers. This is their government”, he further added.

(ST)