Fighting erupted today at Rubkona main army barracks within the SPLA’s defected 4th Division loyal to General James Koang and the former vice-president Riek Machar.
Yesterday, SPLA army loyal to President Kiir moved closer to Bentiu and Rubkona causing huge numbers of villagers to flee and sending panic among townsmen.
Disorder continued to spread in Bentiu and its twin city Rubkona today as unorganized soldiers roamed through the streets of Rubkona. Several people speaking to Radio Tamazuj witnessed a fire at the weapons store in the vicinity of the army barracks followed by explosions.
Inside the headquarters barracks in Rubkona artillery was heard starting from 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. and continuing through midday. The SPLA army loyal to president Kiir coming from Mayom direction was not seen in the city as of 15:30, a local reporter told Radio Tamazuj.
This morning, soldiers and civilians started to loot company offices, two bank buildings of KCB and Ivory Bank and the Zain mobile phone company premises besides many shops in Bentiu town. Soldiers from the 4th division started shooting in the air, chasing the population out of the center.
One eyewitness working for Mercy Corps International said many NGOs were looted. “Our office was looted and I saw them taking away things – we lost our car to the rebels.”
He further said that shops were looted at night as police clashed with those who were looting and breaking shops in the night. “The police fought them but then they gave up. Many people were shot at night as the rebels and other robbers were looting the shops,” he said.
A reporter is among the people rushing into the WFP compound of Bentiu. She said that UNMISS came at 12:00 to pick some families and carried them to the UN compound in Rubkona. Other families are waiting, but it seems the road is now blocked due to further fighting. She added that no one of the civilians has taken any food or water with them before seeking shelter.
The shooting in the barracks started before midday, a company manager in Bentiu told Radio Tamazuj. He said he was still in the market after his office was entirely looted. “People are running away, but the army is still in charge but they are randomly shooting and looting. It seems they are ready to defend”, he said. He noticed that the hospital in Bentiu has been deserted, the ICRC evacuated from there to Leer on Wednesday already, he said.
Families are all leaving Bentiu since they cannot cross the bridge to reach the UNMISS compound in Rubkona, although the bridge is still accessible. The people move in majority 15 kilometers south to Rubnyaga and Guit in Guit County. Thousands have reached that area, but without food or water. The area is flat with grass, but has few boreholes.
It is also reported that James Koang, the defected Division 4 commander who declared himself governor, has left the town amid clashes between his men and others within the defected force. He was seen moving to the east of town in a convoy of five cars.
File photo: SPLA solider in Rubkona during a bombing by the Sudanese air force in April 2012 (Reuters)
Related coverage:
Civilians flee Bentiu in huge numbers fearing attack (9 Jan.)
Mayom: ‘Ghost town, burnt down, many bodies’ (8 Jan.)
Desperate situation at UN camp in Bentiu (7 Jan.)