Anti government forces known as SPLA-IO are now in full control of Bentiu, the capital city of Unity State in South Sudan’s oil producing region.
Bentiu after SPLA retook town on 12 January
The attack began 35 kilometres outside Bentiu near an oil refinery owned by the Russian company Safinat early Monday morning; however its now confirmed SPLA-IO is in full control of the city.
A number of oil workers are believed dead, which allegedly includes one Russian, one Ukrainian and two Kenyans.
UN peacekeepers from a Mongolian battalion rescued 10 Safinat employees, some of who were wounded.
This is the first confirmed report of an attack on an oil installation in South Sudan and the targeting of oil industry staff.
SPLA-IO Brigadier Gen Lul Ruai is demanding oil companies stop operations immediately and evacuate their staff within one week.
He warns that Chinese and Russian oil companies that defy the order to shut operations risk a forceful shutdown and the safety of their employees.
SPLA-IO says its wants all oil operations stopped to prevent the government in Juba from buying weapons with oil revenue that are then used against SPLA-IO forces.
Meanwhile, the government army (SPLA) says it was forced to withdraw from Bentiu because of a lack of ammunition.
This would reinforce information from Bentiu indicating that the SPLA main battle tanks never engaged the SPLA-IO because of a lack of ammunition.
With regard to the SPLA’s ability to procure arms, there are reports that the government in Juba is now purchasing weapons from Egypt.
With impending U.S sanctions on the horizon, this is a plausible scenario and there is believed to be a new relationship emerging between the SPLA and the military regime in Egypt.
The SPLA, in response to questions that it has been receiving weapons from Egypt said, “the government is capable of interacting with any political entity in the world including Egypt but the procurement is the business of the government so wherever they get the weapons should not be an accusation. The government is capable of getting weapons from anywhere. There are no restrictions on the government of South Sudan on where to buy and where to get weapons.”
The comments come following claims by anti-government forces allied to former vice president Riek Machar, now commanding the SPA-IO, that Egypt is providing military support to the government in Juba.
SPLA-IO contends that Egypt’s military support could regionalize the conflict and exacerbate the crisis.
