Rebels take South Sudan town Bor after 'coup attempt'
Thousands of people are seeking refuge from the fighting in UN compounds
South Sudanese rebels have taken over a key town, the military has said, as fighting continues after Sunday's reported coup attempt.
"Our soldiers have lost control of Bor to the force of Riek Machar," said army spokesman Philip Aguer.
President Salva Kiir has accused Mr Machar, the former vice-president, of staging a coup - a claim he denies.
The unrest, which began in the capital Juba, has already killed 500 people and sparked fears of a civil war.
The United Nations has called for political dialogue to end the crisis, and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said about 20,000 people had taken refuge in UN compounds in Juba.
Britain and the US have both sent planes to airlift their nationals out of the country, and a US defence official described the situation as "getting ugly".
Since independence, several groups have taken up arms against the South Sudanese government. It is not clear if any of these groups were involved in the capture of Bor.
Gun battles
On Wednesday the mayor of Bor, Nicholas Nhial Majak, told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that violence had spread there from Juba, 200km (125 miles) away.
Bor is the capital of Jonglei state, and is seen as one of the most volatile areas of South Sudan.
Overnight there were reports of gun battles in the town, as renegade officers fought with troops still loyal to the president.
"There was shooting last night...we don't have information on casualties or the displaced in the town, as operations are ongoing," Mr Aguer told reporters.
But he added that the town's authorities were not answering their phones and were believed to have defected to the rebels' side.
Tensions are also said to be high in the states of Unity and Upper Nile, but in Juba - where the violence started - the situation appears to be calmer, with Mr Aguer saying "the streets are busy and shops are open".
Salva Kiir says his former vice president was behind an attempted coup
President Salva Kiir has blamed the violence on a group of soldiers who support Mr Machar, saying they tried to take power by force on Sunday night.
But Mr Machar denied allegations that he had tried to stage a coup, telling the BBC: "Salva wanted to frame me. I had to flee. They are hunting me down."
He blamed Sunday's fighting on a conflict between members of the presidential guard, and added that government troops had used the incident to arrest some of his supporters.
The UN has expressed fears of a civil war between the two main ethnic bodies, the Dinka - Mr Kiir's group - and the Nuer, from which Mr Machar hails.
But presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny played down the prospect of civil conflict, telling the BBC that while it was likely that civilians had been caught in the fighting, no-one was "targeting ethnic groups".
South Sudan has struggled to achieve a stable government since becoming independent from Sudan in 2011.
The oil-rich country remains ethnically and politically divided, with many armed groups active.
After a peace deal was signed in 2005, Mr Machar was appointed vice-president of the South Sudan regional government.
He retained the position after independence in 2011 but was dropped in July when the whole cabinet was sacked.
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