UN helicopter hit in South Sudan, killing one crew member and some soldiers

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo (REUTERS/Luc Gnago)

NAIROBI (Reuters) -A United Nations helicopter attempting to evacuate South Sudanese troops came under fire in the northern town of Nasir on Friday, the U.N. mission there said, resulting in the death of a crew member and several soldiers including a general.

The U.N. crew was trying to airlift soldiers following heavy clashes in Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia, a group which President Salva Kiir's government has linked to forces loyal to his rival and First Vice President Riek Machar.

"The attack... is utterly abhorrent and may constitute a war crime under international law," said the head of the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom.

"We also regret the killing of those that we were attempting to extract, particularly when assurances of safe passage had been received. UNMISS urges an investigation to determine those responsible and hold them accountable."

Calls to the government's spokesperson, Information Minister Michael Makuei, were not answered. But Kiir's office said the president would make an address to the nation on Friday afternoon.

The White Army, mostly from the Nuer ethnic group, fought alongside Machar's forces in the 2013-2018 civil war that pitted them against predominantly ethnic Dinka troops loyal to Kiir.

Machar's spokesperson this week said security forces had arrested the petroleum minister, the peacebuilding minister, the deputy head of the army and other senior military officials allied with Machar, raising fears for the country's fragile peace process.

The government has not commented on the detentions and Machar's party has denied involvement in the fighting in Nasir.

 (Writing by Nairobi Newsroom; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Sharon Singleton)