A United States aircraft on its path to an evacuation site to remove Americans from the Southern Sudan region came under attack on Saturday, Reuters reported.
The military's Africa Command said in a statement that U.S. soldiers were injured while trying to evacuate Americans from the middle of a growing civil war, according to Reuters.
"The aircraft diverted to an airfield outside the country and aborted the mission," the Africa Command said.
Hundreds have died since the fighting between two different ethnic groups, the Dinka and the Nuer, began in the military barracks and exploded onto the streets of Juba in Southern Sudan, Reuters reported.
President Salva Kiir, who is of Dinka ethnic background, has blamed a failed coup led by former vice president Riek Machar loyalists, who are of part of the Nuer ethnic group, Reuters reported.
Information Minister Michael Makuei said John Koang, a army divisional commander in Unity State, one of ten Southern Sudan states, has joined Machar and his allies and have named him the governor of the state, Reuters reported.
Kiir met with mediators for talks on Friday, claiming the government was willing to hold talks with any rebel groups willing to come forth, and the U.S. also said they would send in aid to assist with the talks, according to Reuters.
Barnaba Marial Benjamin, South Sudan's foreign minister, said the African mediators have been given the green light to meet with Kiir rival groups on Saturday, Reuters reported.
According to the United Nation, hundreds of civilians have been killed since the fighting began and there are currently 35,000 people seeking shelter in U.N. camps, Reuters reported.
