Khartoum: The South Sudanese interior minister on Tuesday said that three days of violence that ignited in South Sudan after months of rising political tensions have left at least 75 people dead meanwhile although a report claims that the death toll is far higher.
The minister Michael Makuei Lueth also added that thousands of people had fled to Juba.
Meanwhile Reuters reported on Tuesday night that at least 400 people had been killed and up to 800 had been injured.
A statement had been issued on Tuesday by State Department of America which claimed that it had suspended operations at its embassy in Juba and asked most of its personnel to leave the country because of the unrest.
Secretary of State John Kerry departed from his prepared remarks on Wednesday during a visit to the typhoon-devastated city of Tacloban, in the Philippines, to call for an end to the fighting in South Sudan.
State Secretary John Kerry said on Wednesday, “Political differences need to be resolved by political and democratic means.”
He also said that the United States was taking steps to ensure the safety of its diplomats in South Sudan.
Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of South Sudan had announced on Monday that his government had headed off a coup attempt. Kiir told the nation that a “group of soldiers” allied with the former vice president, Riek Machar, had been behind the coup.
He said, “The attackers fled, and your forces are pursuing them. I promise you today that justice will prevail.”
“The government is in control of the situation,” said Kiir and imposed a curfew.
Notify that even the President had given the assurance still gunshots were heard across the capital on Tuesday and witnesses said ethnic tensions were rising.
The official website of government, on Tuesday, said that the Juba International Airport had reopened.
The website also claimed the arrest of 10 politicians in connection with the attempted overthrow of the government, but that Machar remained at large.
The United Nations denied that military or political figures had been given refuge at the base in a statement.
Bureau Report
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