South Sudan: 160 Killed in Border Clashes With Rebels

KAMPALA, Uganda - More than 160 people were killed this week in border battles between soldiers and rebels in South Sudan's Jonglei state, officials said on Friday.

At least 143 rebels and 20 soldiers died in several clashes since Tuesday, South Sudan military spokesman Col. Phillip Aguer told The Wall Street Journal.

South Sudan has been trying to quash a rebellion that started earlier this month so it can resume crude-oil shipments.

"Our forces dealt a severe blow to the rebels," Col. Aguer said. "We are now in control of the airstrip which these rebels have been using to get supplies."

The rebels are led by tribal war lord and defeated local-election candidate David Yau Yau. South Sudan accuses former civil war enemy Sudan of backing the insurgent. It denies this.

Landlocked South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July 2011 and retained 75% of the country's oil fields. However, South Sudan relies on pipelines running through Sudan to get its crude oil to ports.

The two disagree over the location of their border. In January last year South Sudan halted crude-oil shipments as the border disagreement escalated.

Earlier this month they agreed to resume shipments after international intervention.

Until January 2012 South Sudan shipped as much as 350,000 barrels a day to refiners in China and Malaysia.

Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

View the original article here

Assad Fires Scud Missiles at Rebels, U.S. Reports

The Rich, Conservative Push for Right-to-Work (Video) The Pope’s First Tweets Jon Stewart Nearly Quit ‘The Daily Show’ Because of ‘Asshole’ Colleagues Scalia’s Anti-Gay Marriage Rant, Nate Silver on Hillary’s 2016 Prospects, and More
Sarah Silverman Pro-Choice Video Tells ‘Bros’ to Stand Up for the Ladies Watch: Fox News Contributor Gets Punched in Face During Michigan Union Protest The Revolution Continues in Challenge to Morsi Moyers and Sanders on America’s Media Oligopoly
Fighting Manifest Destiny
By Jonathan Yardley Glenn Greenwald Condemns ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Torture Porn
Psy Shames Himself With Unqualified Apology (Video)
By Alexander Reed Kelly Reports of Publishing’s Death Are Exaggerated
By Susan Zakin
The Questions Education Reformers Aren’t Asking
Dig led by Mike Rose

Gore Vidal: His Life and Legacy
Dig led by Truthdig Staff

advertisement

-->
Truthdig Rectangle Magnet (10 pack)$22.99

advertisement

-->
Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh and a Tragic Anglo-American CoupBy Christopher de Bellaigue
$27.99

advertisement

-->
Baseball Cap$17

  Email    Print    Share

Tweet Posted on Dec 12, 2012 AP/Muhammed Muheisen

Syrian men use sledgehammers to break the concrete of a residential building destroyed in a government airstrike in Maarat Misreen on Wednesday.

The 2-year-old conflict between the Syrian government and its opposition that has killed 40,000 civilians and threatens to destabilize the Middle East was escalated in recent days when forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad fired Soviet-era Scud missiles at rebel fighters, American officials said Wednesday.

Anonymous American sources said more than six such missiles have likely been fired in areas controlled by the Free Syrian Army, one of the main militant insurgent groups. The strikes have caused an unknown number of casualties.

The use of heavier, long-range arms suggests an escalation of the conflict that could provoke a military response from Turkey should missiles fall near or within its border.

The attacks came amid an announcement Tuesday that “the United States would formally recognize a coalition of Syrian opposition groups as that country’s legitimate representative, in an attempt to intensify the pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to give up his nearly two-year bloody struggle to stay in power,” The New York Times reported.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

The New York Times:

American officials did not say how they had monitored the missile firings, but American intelligence has been closely following developments in Syria through aerial surveillance and other methods, partly out of concern that Mr. Assad may resort to the use of chemical weapons in the conflict.

The Obama administration views the Assad government’s use of Scud missiles as a “significant escalation” of the conflict, said a senior official. It also shows, he said, the increasing pressure on Mr. Assad, since Scuds are primarily defensive weapons, being used by the government offensively against a counterinsurgency.

“Using Scuds to target tanks or military bases is one thing,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Using them to target rebels hiding in playgrounds at schools is something else.”

Read more

More Below the Ad

Advertisement

TAGS: aleppo arab spring assad free syrian army middle east scud missiles syria



Related Entries The Revolution Continues in Challenge to Morsi Picking Up a $170 Billion Tab Anyone Else Find the Threat of Syrian Chemical Weapons Eerily Familiar? Mr. President, Tear Down This Wall

Email to a friend

Get truth delivered to
your inbox every week.

Previous item: The Rich, Conservative Push for Right-to-Work (Video)

Next item: Christie Addresses Weight Criticism, PolitiFact’s ‘Lie of the Year’ Revealed, and More

New and Improved Comments

If you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Get Truthdig in your inbox

Newsletter

Become a Fan

Follow Us

Subscribe

     
       #donation_div {display:none;}.popup {background:#FFF; border:1px solid #333; padding:1px;}.popup-header {height:65px; padding: 30px 40px 10px 50px;}.popup-header h2 {margin:0; padding:0; font-size:18px; float:left;}.popup-header .close-link {float:right; font-size:11px;}.popup-body {padding: 20px 70px 20px 50px;}a {color: #990000;}Close

Give the gift of independent journalism.

Support Truthdig by making a donation of at least $25 in someone's name, and we'll send him or her a signed letter of appreciation from our publisher.

With your support, we've been able to pay writers such as Chris Hedges, Col. Ann Wright, Mr. Fish and Nomi Prins.

We've sent reporters around the world, from Afghanistan to Cairo to Cuba.

Thanks to you, our mission to find and publish a range of insightful opinion and analysis from a progressive point of view continues.

Support Truthdig

HOME|Digs|Reports|Arts & Culture|Uncovered|Ear to the Ground|A/V Booth|Cartoons
Tags|Bazaar|Podcast|About Us|Contact Us|User Agreement|Privacy Policy|FAQ: Comments and Moderation | Google+ Google+
A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
© 2012 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved. Web site development by Hop Studios 

View the Original article