Bentiu
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Bentiu بانتيو |
|
|---|---|
 Bentiu
|
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| Coordinates: 9°15′36″N 29°48′00″E / 9.26000°N 29.80000°ECoordinates: 9°15′36″N 29°48′00″E / 9.26000°N 29.80000°E | |
| Country |
 South Sudan
|
| State | Northern Liech |
| County | Rubkona County |
| Elevation | 347 m (1,138 ft) |
| Population (2010 est.) | |
| • Total | 6,508 |
Bentiu, also spelled Bantiu, is a town in South Sudan.
Bentiu is located in Rubkona County, Northern Liech, in northern South Sudan, near the International border with the Republic of Sudan. This location lies approximately 654 kilometres (406 mi), by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country. Bentiu sits on the southern bank of the Bahr el Ghazal River, that separates it from the town of Rubkona, which sits on the river's northern bank. The two towns are joined by the El Salaam Bridge that spans the river. This bridge was bombed and partially damaged by Sudanese MiG 29 bomber airplanes on April 23, 2012, along with a market in Bentiu.
As of 2006[update], the population of Bentiu was estimated at about 9,700.
The town is the administrative, political and commercial center of Unity State in South Sudan. The State Governor maintains the headquarters of the state in the town. However the County Headquarters for Rubkona County, in which Bentiu is located are situated in the town of Rubkona, across the river.
During the South Sudanese conflict that began in December 2013, the national government lost control of the town to a commander loyal to Riek Machar, although Machar denied this. Violence in the area continued, and on 17 January 2014 a UN official was quoted as saying that the town “simply did not exist anymore”, and that “it was completely burnt down”. In April 2014, hundreds of Bentiu civilians were massacred by the “Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition Army” led by former vice president Riek Machar.
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Wikipedia