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At least 153 killed in clashes between South Sudan rival factions

Xinhua, August 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Fighting between government troops and opposition forces in South Sudan's northeastern state of Jonglei last Friday left 153 people dead, a government army spokesperson said.

Lul Ruai Koang claimed that the opposition troops

linked to the Sudan People's Liberation Army-In-Opposition (SPLA-IO) attacked the Pajut military base in Duk County, but declined to give details on the causalities.

"The SPLA-IO forces and some anti-peace elements attacked our forces on Friday but the SPLA forces managed to repulse them. Some 153 people died and we recovered 161 light and heavy weapons from the attackers," Koang said on Tuesday.

Koang said calm had returned to the area and displaced people were coming back.

South Sudan has witnessed fresh clashes since fighting broke out between government troops led by President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar in early July.

The rival leaders had fought a civil war which started in December 2013 and left tens of thousands dead. A peace deal signed by them last August under UN pressure was supposed to end the war, but failed to quell the renewed violence.

Machar has fled to neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, raising fears that hostilities could be lengthy.

The UN says unrest in the world's youngest nation has left some 4.6 million people severely food insecure. Endit