At least 100 killed in clashes between rebels and armed forces in South Sudan

ANKARA: At least 100 people have been killed in the clashes between government armed forces and rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar in northeastern part of South Sudan.

Clashes around Waat town in Bieh state claimed the lives of five soldiers and 91 rebels, the Anadoli Agency quoted Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang as saying on Wednesday.

Fighting broke out in a volatile northeastern part of the country as the attempts were made to restart talks aiming to bring estranged groups to the negotiating table as both the sides claiming victory. 

Koang said violence broke out on Sunday and continued till Tuesday, and more casualties are expected as fighting resumed Wednesday morning.

“We came under attack from opposition forces loyal to Riek Machar; however, we repulsed them and killed 91,” he said.

However, the Rebel spokesman Mabior Garang Mabior accused the government forces of breaching a cease-fire.

“It is always one side that gets all the loses during combats, the government must also accept that we killed some of their soldiers in good number,” Mabior said.

Civil war broke out in oil-producing South Sudan in 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked Riek Machar from the vice-presidency. 

The conflict ended with a peace pact in 2015 and Machar was reinstated early last year but tensions between the two lingered and new fighting began in July.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced almost four million people from their homes, including over a million refugees, who have fled to the neighbouring countries, with Uganda alone hosting one million.