Obama warns S. Sudan against military coup (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PYNqJ_KTaW6REN9RzUPlqQGPM71vYmO1u2j9QBt1Op4rKiUAdgxZ0hvrMCawIHyd64PsqJbeswb9gl1Nt5O1_82-wmTuRlt4yvYyBlLP1Iwo-CiWboWGpDqepSZhaSynPO5bGD082ew/s1600/329a01422a1b1f5c7373702a040df5105d4d12d7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PYNqJ_KTaW6REN9RzUPlqQGPM71vYmO1u2j9QBt1Op4rKiUAdgxZ0hvrMCawIHyd64PsqJbeswb9gl1Nt5O1_82-wmTuRlt4yvYyBlLP1Iwo-CiWboWGpDqepSZhaSynPO5bGD082ew/s320/329a01422a1b1f5c7373702a040df5105d4d12d7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1387684436045_8255" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama warned South Sudan on Saturday that Washington and its allies would cut aid to the country over any attempted military coup, amid growing fears of civil war.</div><div class="body-slot-mod" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-width: 300px;"><div class="yom-remote"><div class="" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"><br /><section class="yom-mod " data-ylk="mid:mediacontentrelatedstory;mpos:1;elm:hdln;elmt:ct;cat:Related Stories;rspns:nav;t1:a3;itc:0;sec:lst-ct;" id="mediacontentrelatedstory" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="yom-related-story-module story" style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 40px;"><div class="hd"><h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Related Stories</h2></div><div class="bd"><div class="latest-content-inline"><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="list-item story" data-uuid="6a3cff8b-916b-3297-ba27-d16921701404" style="display: block; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><a data-rapid_p="8" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:1;test:;g:6a3cff8b-916b-3297-ba27-d16921701404;pkgt:2;prov:Associated Press;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/obama-keeps-eye-tense-situation-south-sudan-212342990--politics.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; margin-right: 6px; text-decoration: none;">Obama keeps eye on tense situation in South Sudan</a> <span class="source" style="color: #1e7d8e;">Associated Press</span></li><li class="list-item story" data-uuid="a793da45-f271-3019-92f7-9984c12d9ec1" style="display: block; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><a data-rapid_p="9" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:2;test:;g:a793da45-f271-3019-92f7-9984c12d9ec1;pkgt:2;prov:Reuters;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/obama-warns-south-sudan-u-military-aircraft-attacked-213242080.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; margin-right: 6px; text-decoration: none;">Obama warns South Sudan after U.S. military aircraft attacked</a> <span class="source" style="color: #1e7d8e;">Reuters</span></li><li class="list-item story" data-uuid="3784123a-7e25-310a-8c30-0a083dde9b6a" style="display: block; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><a data-rapid_p="10" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:3;test:;g:3784123a-7e25-310a-8c30-0a083dde9b6a;pkgt:2;prov:AFP;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/us-aircraft-shot-south-sudan-sources-002900023.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; margin-right: 6px; text-decoration: none;">Obama warns South Sudan after US servicemen wounded</a> <span class="source" style="color: #1e7d8e;">AFP</span></li><li class="list-item story" data-uuid="3dbe2bbf-364a-3d92-a0b6-bff3799b1081" style="display: block; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><a data-rapid_p="11" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:4;test:;g:3dbe2bbf-364a-3d92-a0b6-bff3799b1081;pkgt:2;prov:Associated Press;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/3-us-military-aircraft-hit-sudan-4-wounded-164730096.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; margin-right: 6px; text-decoration: none;">3 US military aircraft hit in S. Sudan, 4 wounded</a><span class="source" style="color: #1e7d8e;">Associated Press</span></li><li class="list-item story" data-uuid="9c72694b-126c-3e43-ab8c-528667ecbd05" style="display: block; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><a data-rapid_p="12" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:5;test:;g:9c72694b-126c-3e43-ab8c-528667ecbd05;pkgt:2;prov:AFP;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/us-sends-envoy-violence-plagued-sudan-031502262.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; margin-right: 6px; text-decoration: none;">US sends envoy to violence-plagued South Sudan</a><span class="source" style="color: #1e7d8e;">AFP</span></li></ul></div></div></div></section></div></div></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1387684436045_8277" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">And top US diplomat John Kerry called South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to stress that the renewed violence endangers the independence of the young nation born in July 2011 with backing from the United States, breaking away from Sudan after a five-decade struggle.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1387684436045_8287" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Obama also urged South Sudan's leaders to help protect US personnel and citizens in the conflict-ravaged country, after American military aircraft were hit, wounding four servicemembers.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Three US military Osprey aircraft came under fire as they headed to the rebel-held city of Bor in Jonglei state to help evacuate Americans, the Pentagon said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">All four wounded servicemembers were in "stable condition," it added. The targeted Bell Boeing CV-22 Ospreys are hybrid tiltrotor aircraft that can take off vertically like a helicopter but resemble a normal plane in flight.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Obama was updated about the incident aboard Air Force One as he landed overnight in Hawaii for his Christmas vacation.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="13" data-uuid="765b6539-835a-3bee-8a2b-871011b333b1" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/us-army-soldier-stands-guard-us-army-aircraft-photo-184349773.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="A US army soldier stands guard as a US army aircraft&nbsp;&hellip;"></a><br /><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 221px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="13" data-uuid="765b6539-835a-3bee-8a2b-871011b333b1" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/us-army-soldier-stands-guard-us-army-aircraft-photo-184349773.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="A US army soldier stands guard as a US army aircraft&nbsp;&hellip;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; 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cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="A US army soldier stands guard as a US army aircraft&nbsp;&hellip;"><img alt="A US army soldier stands guard as a US army aircraft&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="221" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/CAEdhSAZl.KeY4Lh9BPm3w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTIyMTtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/f7fe7e5f8650faa7542bcf7f849e82133b869ed8.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></a></div><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="13" data-uuid="765b6539-835a-3bee-8a2b-871011b333b1" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/us-army-soldier-stands-guard-us-army-aircraft-photo-184349773.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="A US army soldier stands guard as a US army aircraft&nbsp;&hellip;"></a><br /><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;">A US army soldier stands guard as a US army aircraft remains on the runway ready to evacuate America …</div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"He underscored that South Sudan's leaders have a responsibility to support our efforts to secure American personnel and citizens in Juba and Bor," a White House statement said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Any effort to seize power through the use of military force will result in the end of longstanding support from the United States and the international community."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Obama separately participated in a secure call about the situation in South Sudan with National Security Adviser Susan Rice, her deputies Tony Blinken and Ben Rhodes, as well as White House Senior Director for African Affairs Grant Harris, also a member of the president's national security team.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"More broadly, the president underscored the urgency of helping to support efforts to resolve the differences within South Sudan through dialogue," the White House added.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"This conflict can only be resolved peacefully through negotiations."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">It called for an end to the recent surge of violence that has killed at least 500 people in the capital Juba alone in six days of fighting.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Secretary Kerry made clear that continued violence endangers the vision set forth at the time of South Sudan's independence," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">During their call, Kiir and Kerry "discussed the need to prevent ethnic violence, their concern for the welfare of thousands of internally displaced persons fleeing the conflict, as well as for the safety of US citizens in South Sudan, and they agreed to speak again soon," she added.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Kerry was also sending his special envoy for the Sudans, Donald Booth, to the region to seek a solution to the crisis.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">On Wednesday, the United States deployed 45 combat-equipped troops to the country to protect its embassy and American personnel.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Kenya and Uganda have also sent in troops to help evacuate stranded nationals.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Two Indian peacekeepers were killed on Thursday when attackers stormed a UN base in Jonglei state. There are fears that 36 civilians sheltering in the base were also killed.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1387684436045_8306" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The upsurge in hostilities in South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, came despite an offer from the president to open talks with his former deputy, Riek Machar, whom Kiir accuses of having started the fighting last week by attempting a coup.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1387684436045_8306" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">-Yahoo News</div></div>

Obama warns S. Sudan against military coup (BLOG)

Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama warned South Sudan on Saturday that Washington and its allies would cut aid to the country over an...

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