Gaining control: South Sudan govt retakes oil city

The city, one of two state capitals, were in rebel hands.

JUBA: South Sudanese troops on Friday recaptured the key northern oil city of Bentiu, although the leader of the rebels vowed to fight on against the government. A spokesman for President Salva Kiir said the city, one of two state capitals that were in rebel hands, was “now under our control”, following days of fierce fighting that has forced tens of thousands to flee the area. Rebel leader Riek Machar has admitted that anti-government troops had abandoned the city, but vowed they would press on with their nearly month-old fight. “We withdrew from Bentiu, but it was to avoid fighting in the streets and save civilian lives. We fight on, we will continue the battle,” Machar told AFP by satellite telephone from an undisclosed location in the country. He nevertheless said the rebel side would continue to be engaged in peace talks that are taking place in neighbouring Ethiopia.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2014.