UN peacekeepers prevented from accessing area of reported killings in South Sudan: spokesman

UN peacekeepers were prevented "twice in as many days" from accessing area of reported killing in South Sudan by government troops in the world's youngest country, Eri Kaneko, the UN associate spokesperson, told reporters here Wednesday.

"The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports that UN peacekeepers have been prevented twice, in as many days, from accessing Pajok in Eastern Equatoria by the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)," Kaneko said at a daily news briefing here.

The UN mission has received reports of fighting between SPLA troops and the Opposition there and is trying to follow-up on reports of civilians killed in the area, she said.

"This morning, the UN mission's patrol was stopped at a checkpoint seven km outside Torit and was prevented from proceeding further," Kaneko said. "The patrol remains at the checkpoint and is continuing to negotiate access."

"UNMISS is concerned by these reports and calls on the government to immediately allow the mission access to Pajok, as obligated by the Status of Forces Agreement, so it can fully implement its mandate, including to protect civilians and report on human rights violations," she said.

South Sudanese rebels (SPLA-IO) on Wednesday blamed the killings of over 16 civilians on Monday in the border town of Pajok on government troops (SPLA) in fresh clashes that have further displaced thousands across the Ugandan border.

In early July last year, close to the fifth anniversary of the country's independence from Sudan, South Sudan was plunged into fresh violence due to clashes between rival forces -- the SPLA, loyal to President Salva Kiir, and the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO), backing former First Vice-President Riek Machar. That led to deaths and injuries, including many civilians and several UNMISS peacekeepers, jeopardizing the peace agreement between the political rivals in August 2015, which formally ended their differences.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013, pitting President Kiir against Machar after political dispute caused fighting to spread along ethnic lines between Kiir's mainly Dinka ethnic group and Machar's Nuer.

The fighting has since killed thousands and displaced more than two million from their homes with the United Nations Refugee agency confirming 1.5 million refugees in neighbouring countries.

The UN agencies declared in February a man-made famine with 100,000 people starving and further one million on the brink in the northern counties of Mayendit and Leer in northern Unity state. Enditem