http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/2014/0220/New-fighting-in-South-Sudan-threatens-oil-state-capital
New fighting in South Sudan threatens oil state capital
Since a January ceasefire, rebels and government troops have skirmished. A
full-scale attack on Malaka, a key oil hub, may signal a longer fight ahead.
By Jason Patinkin, Correspondent / February 20, 2014
Juba, South Sudan
South Sudan's army today vowed to retake the contested town of Malakal,
days after rebels launched their own assault on the battered riverside
city, defying a month-old ceasefire agreement.
The new fighting around Malakal is the worst violence yet since the
ceasefire was signed and underscores the difficulty of reaching a political
solution to the conflict amid stop-start negotiations in neighboring
Ethiopia.
Opposition forces loyal to former vice president Riek Machar attacked
Malakal, the capital of oil-rich Upper Nile State, on Tuesday morning with
mortars, and light and heavy arms. Shelling continued Wednesday, and a UN
spokesperson said sporadic small-arms fire was heard Thursday.
Malakal has changed hands several times since the conflict began in
December, and analysts say the new fighting is reminiscent of earlier
hostilities when the government and rebels sought to gain advantage while
peace talks slowly took shape. Over 500 homes in Malakal have been
destroyed, according to a satellite survey.
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The rebels claimed this week to control all of Malakal. But South Sudan's
government says it holds the town's northern areas, and will keep fighting.
"SPLA is still preparing to launch a counter-attack anytime," government
Army spokesman Col. Philip Aguer told the Monitor by phone from Juba, the
capital.
The UN in South Sudan could not confirm who was in control of the town
because access has been limited.
The US Embassy in Juba condemned the new outbreak of fighting, labeling it
as "further blatant disregard" for the ceasefire. "Continued military
conflict will only prolong the violence and worsen the humanitarian crisis
that threatens to consume the country," it said in a statement.
The fighting in South Sudan began as a political power struggle between
President Salva Kiir and Mr. Machar erupted into deadly clashes and split
the army in two.
The violence has killed thousands, including civilians targeted for their
ethnicity. Nearly a million people have fled their homes. South Sudan's oil
production has been cut by at least 20 percent according to Reuters.
Direct talks in Ethiopia between the rebels, the government, and a bloc of
seven politicians accused by Mr. Kiir of plotting a coup, have faltered.
The three delegations have not agreed on a common agenda, says Hussein Mar
Nyuot, a spokesmen for Machar's team.
In the meantime, the army and rebels traded accusations of attacking
churches and hospitals in Malakal, which couldn't be independently
verified.
Humanitarian agencies are worried that a resumption of fighting will make
an already dire situation worse.
"We have a double problem. We can't guarantee the safety of our staff there
because of the violence, and we can't get vital supplies up there because
we don't have humanitarian access," says Grace Cahill, a spokesperson for
humanitarian group Oxfam which conducts programs in Malakal.
Ms. Cahill warns that crops may fail if farmers are afraid to return home
before the April rains.
"It's not just an immediate problem that we can't get food and water and
adequate medical care," she said. "I don't think we're going to be out of
this emergency phase for many months."
Received on Thu Feb 20 2014 - 19:07:43 EST