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Hundreds killed in violence following foiled coup bid in Sudan

About 20,000 people have sought refuge at UN facilities since Sunday

Up to 500 people have been killed during clashes after an apparent failed coup attempt in South Sudan, the United Nations have said.

About 20,000 people have sought refuge at its facilities since Sunday.

The US has ordered its citizens to leave the country and Britain withdrew some diplomats yesterday.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir said on Monday that his government had foiled a coup attempt by now-on-the-run former vice-president Riek Machar.

Details on the ground were still sketchy yesterday in part because some communications were cut, but there were reports that the fighting had spread outside capital Juba to Jonglei.

There were also reports of desertions in the military and soldiers moving on Juba from neighbouring regions.

Ministers said 10 political leaders have been arrested for their role in the alleged coup including Pagan Amum, former secretary-general of the governing Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and a noted leftwinger.

Mr Kiir said that troops tried to raid the main army barracks for weapons but they were repelled by loyalist soldiers.

Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said yesterday that Mr Machar had fled Juba and gone into hiding.

But the former vice-president, who was sacked earlier this year and had announced plans to stand for the presidency in 2005, has denied trying to topple his one-time boss, saying the coup was manufactured to suppress opposition within the SPLM.

He said it still wasn't clear how the clashes in the presidential guard started but they were quickly reported as a coup.

Reports have suggested clashes are largely along ethnic lines, between Mr Kiir's Dinka tribe and Mr Machar's Nuer group. The pair have used ethnic loyalties to whip up their political ambitions.

Sudanese progressives raised fears yesterday that the spat could drag the country back into a "disastrous" civil war if Mr Machar seeks to link up with opposition factions of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the SPLM.

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