South Sudan troops accused of stealing relief food, killing at least 7 people

JUBA, South Sudan -- A local official says soldiers believed to be South Sudanese government troops and allied militia stole relief food and killed seven people in an attack in a rebel-held part of Unity state.

John Riek, the head of a local relief commission, said Thursday that the attack happened Monday in the village of Dablual, forcing some 35,000 hungry civilians to flee into the bush.

On Saturday, the World Food Programme dropped its first delivery of 270 metric tons of food in Dablual, the first delivery of food to the area in two months.

South Sudan has been at civil war since December 2013 as government troops try to put down a rebellion led by a former deputy president.