Juba: Gunfire continued to ring out in South Sudan's capital, Juba, Tuesday as the military “cleared out remnants” of soldiers accused of mounting a coup attempt, the foreign minister said, as more than 13,000 people sought refuge at United Nations facilities.
The coup attempt happened on Sunday when a group of soldiers raided the weapons store within the main army barracks in Juba but were repulsed by loyalists, sparking gunfights Sunday night and early Monday, Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin told The Associated Press.
He described the alleged coup plotters as “disgruntled” but gave no other details.
At least 26 people, mostly soldiers, have since died in the violence, according to Makur Maker, a senior Ministry of Health official. Other groups put the casualties in the hundreds.
The fighting has forced about 13,000 people to seek shelter inside or in the immediate outskirts of two U.N. facilities in Juba, according to the U.N.
The South Sudanese military has arrested five political leaders with suspected links to the coup attempt and many more are still being traced, said Benjamin.
