JUBA: Fresh fighting has erupted in civil war-torn South Sudan, the government and rebels said Monday, with both sides blaming each other for violating a new ceasefire deal.
Reports of clashes in the oil-rich north and on several other fronts came just 48 hours after the country’s arch-foes, President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Rief Machar, wrapped up peace talks in Ethiopia and promised regional mediators they would immediately stop the war.
Rebel military spokesman Lul Ruai Koang, however, accused government troops of having “launched coordinated attacks” in Unity and Upper Nile States, and said a rebel base in Jonglei State was also “under heavy shelling”.
“The government is entirely responsible for these unnecessary attacks motivated by its desires and attempts to recapture oil fields under our control,” he said in a statement.
Army spokesman Philip Aguer confirmed there was fighting in Upper Nile State, but blamed the rebels for starting it.
“The battle continued for a few minutes... and the attack was repelled,” he told local radio.
AFP
