200 civilians Massacred in South Sudan, Says UN

{{The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Monday that more than 200 people died in Bentiu after the strategic Unity state town fell to opposition forces last week.}}

UNMISS, in a statement, said it “strongly condemns the targeted killings of civilians based on their ethnic origins and nationality in Bentiu.”

“More than 200 civilians were reportedly killed and over 400 wounded at the Mosque,” the world body said in a statement extended to reporters on Monday.

UNMISS also strongly condemns the use of Radio Bentiu FM by some individuals associated with the opposition to broadcast hate speech,” it added.

Fighting erupted in mid-December between soldiers aligned with former vice president Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir with the president accusing his ex-deputy of staging a coup, which Machar denied but now leads a rebel movement.

The fighting is often seen as pinning President Kiir’s Dinka tribe against Machar’s Nuer, although both politicians have supporters across irrespective of tribal affiliation.

Most army defectors accused government of President Kiir of allegedly using his Dinka armed men to kill Nuer civilians at the onset of conflict in the capital, Juba.

Both sides have been accused by Human Rights Watch of committing atrocities.

Bentiu has changed hands several times between rebel and pro-government forces.

But the UN, in it statement, accused the SPLA in Opposition of allegedly sorting civilians along tribal lines after capturing Bentiu.

{sudantribune}