Eritrean Embassy in South Sudan Says its Working to Ensure Safety of its Citizens

Warm greetings between long-time friends and former freedom fighters, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and his South Sudanese counterpart, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, at Kenya's Jubilee Celebrations last week. 

Eritrean Embassy in Juba says its working to ensure safety of its citizens

The Eritrean Embassy in Juba says its working with community associations and leaders to ensure safety of its citizens after South Sudanese army factions clashed, killing up to 500 people and raising fears the conflict could spark wider ethnic violence.

Heavy fighting began on Sunday night between army factions, split along the country's main Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups, around two army barracks next to the capital in what President Salva Kiir called a failed coup attempt.

Residents in Juba said the city was calm on Wednesday after sporadic but heavy gunbattles have been heard since Sunday. The government says the airport would re-open on Wednesday but the dusk-to-dawn curfew would remain in the capital.

State media announced yesterday it arrested 10 officials in connection to the conflict and wanted to question several others, including former Vice President Riek Machar, whom Juba says is the mastermind behind the alleged coup attempt.

Western diplomats said the United Nations had reports of between 400 and 500 people killed and up to 800 wounded in the oil-rich East African nation, which has been plagued by ethnic tension since it broke away from Sudan in 2011.

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