---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 10:09 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Bombing: eye-witness accounts To: Group <[email protected]>
The bombing of Yida Camp was witnessed by several independent international staff, and even by the BBC. BEGIN 1. "23,000 plus registered. [refugees] Bombs dropped in conjunction with UNMISS WFP food movement in Mi 26 helicopter. 12 tons food moved. One day ration. People out for a week. Four bombs. Three blew. One not exploding stuck in wall of school hut. Over 200 kids around it. A miracle. No dead or injured." END1 2. "Antonov has attacked Yeida Refugee Camp (population 23,555) around 15:15 with four bomb, 3 has exploded and one has not. No Injuries or death reported till now. I'm sure other colleagues... will provide you with some pictures. we witnessed the bombing, civilians are in fear and the students as well as the 4th bomb which has not exploded was inside the school where by the children were playing football. What are the consequences of attacking a refugee camp? also what the consequences of attacking an area belong to South Sudan? Yeida is located in Unity State - Pariang County!" END2 3. "Hey John, We're here in the Yida camp. No injuries reported. Thanks for posting it." END3 4. Sudan 'bombs refugees' in South Sudan's Unity state BBC 10 November 2011 Last updated at 17:38 GMT South Sudanese officials have condemned Sudan after an aerial bombardment of a refugee camp in their territory. The BBC's James Copnall was at the Yida camp in oil-rich Unity State, which borders Sudan, when it was bombed. Local official Miabek Lang said at least 12 people had been killed and 20 wounded. The Sudanese military, which has been fighting rebels in areas near South Sudan, has denied the claims. Our reporter says the first bombs fell at around 12:00 GMT and when he arrived at the camp some 10 minutes later, a second round of bombing started. He says that just as a UN helicopter, carrying food aid, settled on to a makeshift landing zone at the camp, there was a deep and terrifying thud of a nearby explosion. A large plane was spotted heading to the north, our reporter says. Several residents of the refugee camp told him it was an Antonov plane, often used by the Sudanese government as a makeshift bomber. The refugees said the plane had circled before launching two bombing raids. Five bombs were dropped, of which four exploded, they told our correspondent. Our reporter says he did not see any casualties, but Mr Lang, the commissioner of Pariang county in Unity state, said that 12 people had been killed and the death toll could rise. Incidents like this, and both sides' belief that the other is sponsoring rebels on their territory, are contributing to a rapidly deteriorating relationship between Sudan and South Sudan, he says. Thousands of people who have fled fighting in Sudan's South Kordofan region have crossed the border to take refuge at the Yida camp. Sudan's army has often been accused of bombing South Kordofan, where it is facing a rebellion from pro-southern groups. Our reporter says there is talk that rebels use the camp to rest before returning to South Kordofan to fight. The refugees are, however, furious with Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir over the bombings, he says. The governor of Unity State, Taban Deng, said Mr Bashir should be held responsible. "Why does Omar Bashir do this? He has a lot to answer," Mr Deng said. However, Sudan Armed Forces spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad vehemently denied any links to the raid. "This information is completely false. We didn't bomb any camps or any areas inside the borders of South Sudan," he told the AFP news agency. "What is going on in South Sudan belongs to the southerners. We don't have any links to this." The South Sudan Liberation Army rebel group is active in Unity State - it denies claims that it is working for Khartoum in order to destabilise its neighbour. South Sudan gained independence in July under a peace deal which followed decades of north-south conflict. At the scene James Copnall BBC News, Unity State Just as a UN helicopter settled on to a makeshift landing zone, there was a deep and terrifying thud of a nearby explosion. A large plane glinting silver against the sun was spotted heading to the north. It was identified by several residents of the refugee camp as an Antonov, a plane that is feared here because the Sudanese government has often used it as a makeshift bomber. The refugees said the plane had circled, then launched two bombing raids. They said five bombs were dropped, of which four exploded. The unexploded bomb, a flat grey sphere, had hit a tree, and came to rest in soft earth just outside a school. Another bomb sparked a small fire, and left a crater in the earth. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15678261 END4 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan/South Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
