South Sudan’s Bentiu city residents flee government advance (BBC)
Thousands of people are fleeing the South Sudanese city of Bentiu amid fears of a government offensive to recapture the oil-rich area from rebels, a BBC reporter there says.
Many people are taking refuge in a UN base in Bentiu, says Alastair Leithead.
Meanwhile, ceasefire talks between the two sides appear to be deadlocked over the government’s imprisonment of 11 alleged coup plotters.
At least 1,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Nearly 200,000 people have been forced from their homes in the fighting, which has seen ethnic violence between the Dinka and Nuer communities.
Many foreign governments have evacuated their nationals, while many South Sudanese are crossing by land into neighbouring states.
The conflict broke out in mid-December when President Salva Kiir accused his ex-deputy, Riek Machar, of plotting a coup.
Mr Machar denied the allegation, and called for the unconditional release of 11 of his allies who were detained over the alleged plot.
On Wednesday, regional mediators Seyoum Mesfin and Lazurus Sumbeiywo flew out of South Sudan’s capital, Juba, after talks with Mr Kiir.
Read the rest of the article and watch a video report from South Sudan Here
