Sixteen (16) people were killed last night and today at oil fields in Unity State, causing oil workers to flee and prompting plans for their evacuation.
The oil companies operating in Unity State are China National Petroleum Corp, India’s ONGC Videsh and Malaysia’s Petronas.
Departure of these companies from South Sudan or even a temporary suspension of their operations would cut deeply into government revenues and potentially cripple the economy.
Five oil workers were killed in the first outbreak of hostilities in GPOC base camp late Wednesday night. They were beaten to death by their colleagues in may have been racially motivated violence.
Another 11 people died on Thursday in fighting in Thar Jath field, according to the Deputy Governor Mabek Lang De Mading, who told Reuters news agency “reinforcements have now contained the situation.”
It is not clear whether those involved were working in actual drilling operations or were security personnel detailed to protect the oil and pipeline facilities.
In the wake of the clashes, over 200 oil workers fled their posts and sought refuge at the UNMISS base in Rubkona.
“The company they are working for will be arranging for transport to get out of Unity State,” said a spokesman for the UN, Joe Contreras, in an interview with Reuters.
Government spokesman Michael Makuei for his part denied that there was any fighting at the oil fields and said the oil was flowing as usual.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s army spokesman Colonel Khaled Sawarmi has commented on these developments, saying “we are very worried about an escalation in the situation.”