23/12/2013 19:06
Rebels seize key town in South Sudan
Rebels have seized the capital of a key oil-producing state in South Sudan, government officials said, as fears grew that the latest violence would spiral into an all-out civil war in the world's newest country, CNN reported.
The United Nations said it was trying to send more peacekeeping forces to the East African state, as foreign powers urged an immediate end to the fighting.
The violence, which began in the capital, Juba, has spread farther north in one week, killing hundreds of people and displacing tens of thousands.
Military spokesman Phillip Aguer told CNN that Bentiu is currently not under government control, after falling to troops loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar, who was ousted from his post in the summer.
On its Twitter feed, the South Sudanese government wrote: "Bentiu is not currently in our hands. It is in the hands of a commander who has declared support for Machar."
Bentiu is the capital of Unity state, the source of oil -- crucial to impoverished South Sudan's economy -- that flows through pipelines north into Sudan for export.
Aguer said troops of the Sudan People's Liberation Army were on their way to retake rebel-held towns -- namely Bentiu and Bor, also north of Juba.
He said the SPLA had not asked regional powers to assist, saying it was equipped to handle the situation. He would not specify the number of troops being sent in and estimated approximately 1,500 rebels were in both Bor and Bentiu.