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2013 South Sudanese coup d'état attempt
Date 14–15 December 2013 Location South Sudan Result Failed coup d'état
Belligerents
Government of South Sudan Armed Forces of South Sudan (At least ethnic Dinkas)	Armed Forces of South Sudan (Mostly ethnic Nuers)
Commanders and leaders
President Salva Kiir	Riek Machar Rebecca Garang

On 14 December 2013, a faction of the army attempted a coup d'état in South Sudan, according to state media. By the next day the attempt had been put down.

Background

Following the independence of South Sudan, Riek Machar was vice president of the only party and made the vice president of the country. In July 2013, he, along with the entire cabinet, was dismissed from office by President Salva Kiir. However, he said that Kiir's move was a step towards dictatorship and that he would challenge Kiir for the presidency. He added that if the country is to be united it cannot tolerate "one man's rule." At the same time, the U.S. and the E.U. feared political upheavel. The dissident group was said to include SPLM founder John Garang's widow Rebecca Garang.

Further, both leaders, while being members of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, are members of different tribes. Kiir is an ethnic Dinka, while Machar is an ethnic Nuer. Similarly, since independence, tribal factionalism has routinely occurred, especially in Jonglei.

Coup d'etat attempt

The South Sudanese Sudan Tribune reported clashes breaking out late on 14 December between members of the presidential guard. The military headquarters near Juba University were attacked with fighting continuing throughout the night. The next day heavy gunfire occurred in South Sudan's capital, Juba, as the rival factions clashed and heavily-armed soldiers were reportedly on the streets of Juba. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan also reported the sound of mortar and heavy machine-gun fire, while it claimed hundreds of civilians sought refuge inside its facilities Military spokesman Colonel Philip Aguer said that some military installations had been attacked from armed soldiers but that "the army is in full control of Juba." He added that an investigation was under way and that though the situation was tense it was also unlikely to deteriorate. Several people were also injured during the fighting. Juba International Airport was closed indefinately, according to unnamed civil aviation and airline sources; Kenyan airlines Fly540 and Kenya Airways indefinately suspended flights to Juba after the airport closed. State-owned SSTV went off-air for several hours. When it returned to broadcasing, it broadcasted a message by President Salva Kiir.

Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said that soldiers at the army base attempted to raid a weapons store but were repulsed. He added that an unnamed politicians had also been arrested, but could not confirm if Machar was one of them. He also said that those that were a part of the coup were "disgruntled" soldiers and politicians led by Machar.

Response

President Salva Kiir then spoke on national television, and abandoned his tradition suit and cowboy hat for military fatigues, and said, while surrounded by government officials, that the coup had been foiled that it was orchestrated by<blockuote>a group of soldiers allied with the former vice president. The attackers went and (the) armed forces are pursuing them. I promise you today that justice will prevail.

He further noted that government was then "in full control of the military situation" and that he had ordered a dawn-to-dusk curfew in Juba. The curfew would be every night from 18:00 to 6:00. He also claimed that the fighting began when unidentified uniformed personnel started shooting at a meeting of the SPLM. He finally said that "I will not allow or tolerate such incidents once again in our new nation. I strongly condemn these criminal actions in the strongest terms possible. before the appropriate law institution."

Reactions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon's Special Representative for South Sudan Hilde Johnson issued a statement that read the UN mission in the country was "deeply concerned" about the fighting and that "as the Special Representative of the Secretary General I urge all parties in the fighting to cease hostilities immediately and exercise restraint. I have been in touch regularly with the key leaders, including at the highest levels to call for calm."

The U.S. embassy in the country reported that while it was aware of "security incidents and sporadic gunfire in multiple locations" it could not "that gunfire and insecurity have fully ceased. The embassy recommends that all U.S. citizens exercise extra caution at all times. The U.S. Embassy will continue to closely monitor the security environment in South Sudan, with particular attention to Juba city and its immediate surroundings, and will advise US citizens further if the security situation changes." The embassy's Twitter account reported that the U.S. denied rumours Machar had taken refuge at the base.

References

1. "South Sudan gripped by power struggle". Al Jazeera. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
2. ^ "Heavy gunfire rocks South Sudan capital". Al Jazeera. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
3. ^ "S Sudan president says coup attempt 'foiled'". Al Jazeera. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
4. ^ "Attempted coup in South Sudan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Agence France-Presse. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
5. ^ "South Sudan quashes coup attempt, says President Kiir". BBC. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
6. ^ Carl Odera (16 December 2013). "Gunshots ring out in South Sudan capital after "attempted coup"". Reuters. Retrieved 17 December 2013.

• Current events from December 2013
• Use dmy dates from April 2012
• 2010s coups d'état and coup attempts
• Conflicts in 2013
• 2013 in South Sudan
• Wars involving South Sudan