South Africa closes embassy in Nigeria after xenophobic violence

South Africa has temporarily closed its diplomatic missions in Nigeria following reprisal attacks by Nigerians triggered by xenophobic violence in South Africa.
Since Sunday, mobs have looted and destroyed shops, many of them foreign-owned, in South Africa's commercial hub Johannesburg, .
Nigeria's government has been outspoken in its condemnation of the violence.
South Africa's foreign minister called it an embarrassment for her country.

"Our government regrets all violence against foreign-owned stores or Africans from other countries who are resident in South Africa," national broadcaster SABC quotes the minister, Naledi Pandor, as saying.
She had ordered the closure of the country's high commission in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, and its mission in Lagos, following threats made to the diplomatic staff, Ms Pandor told the Reuters news agency.

Wednesday, Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama clarified that while the government believes that Nigerian businesses in South Africa had been targeted, it had no information that any of its citizens had died.
"There are a lot of stories going around of Nigerians being killed, jumping off buildings and being burnt. This is not the case," he told journalists.
He also urged people to stop attacking South African businesses in Nigeria, saying that the president "is particularly distraught at the acts of vandalism".
To help any Nigerians who might want to leave South Africa, the foreign ministry said they were being offered a free flight home.