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IGAD accuses South Sudan gov't of violating ceasefire

Xinhua, September 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Inter-Governmental Authority for Development in Africa (IGAD) said South Sudan government violated the latest ceasefire between the country's warring parties by attacking rebel positions in Upper Nile state on Sept. 2.

"The attacks took place on Sept. 2 in the Lelo, Awarajwok and Detand areas of oil-producing Upper Nile state in the country's east," IGAD said in a report obtained by Xinhua on Thursday.

"The IGAD Monitoring and Verification Team in Malakal witnessed the helicopter gunships flying towards and engaging the SPLM/A (IO) Forces on the west bank of the Nile," IGAD said.

"The team later heard outgoing indirect fire from government forces positions towards the west bank of the Nile, and heard that the government forces had crossed the Nile and were attacking the SPLM/A (IO) positions", the report said.

"These amounted to clear violation of the ceasefire, which commenced on Aug. 30," IGAD said.

After signing the peace agreement last August, the South Sudanese warring parties declared their commitment to the ceasefire which became valid as of last August 30.

South Sudan plunged into violence in December 2013 when fighting erupted between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir Mayardit and defectors led by his former deputy Riek Machar.

The conflict soon turned into an all-out war, with the violence taking on an ethnic dimension, pitting president Dinka's tribe against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

The clashes killed thousands of South Sudanese and forced around 1.9 million individuals to flee their homes. Enditem