Juba - Fighting between South Sudan's army and a militia led by a self-proclaimed prophet killed 24 people in an eastern region where France's Total and other foreign oil groups are hoping to explore large concessions, the military said.
The army said it attacked the fighters led by Dak Kueth on Monday as part of a campaign to quell ethnic militia in the remote Jonglei state.
South Sudan won independence from Sudan last year but its government has struggled to assert control over vast territories still swamped with weapons after decades of fighting.
In Jonglei, a cycle of revenge killings between the Murle and Lou Nuer tribes, often provoked by cattle raids, and a heavy-handed government campaign to disarm locals have hit hopes that independence would bring peace.
"We realised that Dak Kueth was mobilising Lou Nuer youth to go and attack the Murle in Akobo. We decided to preempt this action," Lieutenant General Kuol Deim Kuol told Reuters.
The fighting killed 19 militia fighters and five soldiers, he said.
Human rights groups accused the army of committing abuses including rape and torture during its disarmament campaign in the area early this year. The army denies the charges.
Nearly 900 people died when about 7 000 armed Lou Nuer youths attacked Murle villages in Jonglei's Pibor area at the end of last year, according to the United Nations.
The army is also fighting a separate rebel group in Jonglei led by David Yau Yau, a former theology student.
Newer articles:
- South Sudan: Heed Global Call to End Death Penalty - Human Rights Watch - 20/12/2012 16:34
- In South Sudan, a town simmers amid unrest - CNN - 20/12/2012 14:40
- Sudan's war-torn South Kordofan to be divided: VP - The Australian - 20/12/2012 13:37
- CBK enters talks with Sudan over currency exchange - Business Daily - 20/12/2012 13:36
- South Sudan: UN peacekeepers continue protecting civilians amid tense ... - UN News Centre - 20/12/2012 12:49
Older news items
- South Sudan army clash with prophet's militia, 24 killed... - New Vision - 20/12/2012 05:27
- Four die South Sudanese town riots - World - monitor.co.ug - Daily Monitor - 20/12/2012 01:25
- Hundreds of civilians in South Sudan take shelter with UN following outbreak ... - Fox News - 19/12/2012 19:38
- S Sudan: Hundreds of civilians shelter with UN - MiamiHerald.com (registration) - 19/12/2012 19:30
- Limerickman on 'new' life in south Sudan - Limerick Leader - 19/12/2012 16:42
Latest news items (all categories):
- The Collo Kingdom Remains Underdeveloped: Five Hundred Years Later! - 03/02/2025 12:57
- Attack on South Sudan cattle camps kills 35 - 03/02/2025 12:46
- في صفقة مثيرة.. الإمارات تشتري نفط الجنوب في باطن الأرض لمدة 20 عامًا - 03/02/2025 12:42
- South Sudan: Can oil production save the economy? - 30/01/2025 19:27
- 20 oil workers and crew die in South Sudan plane crash - 30/01/2025 19:20
Random articles (all categories):
- Last of South Sudan rebels in Congo exile leave for home, third countries - U.N. - 04/10/2018 13:21
- South Sudan town's residents return fearfully - 25/05/2015 09:42
- Sudan's President Omar Al-Bashir Wins Re-Election With 94 Percent Of Vote - 27/04/2015 10:19
- الجنوبيون العالقون بالشمال .. العيش علي حافة الحياة - 25/10/2011 07:03
- South Sudan activist, family patriarch Wal 'Mike' Duany dies - The Herald-Times (subscription) - 01/01/2013 20:45
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 68988 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 22366 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 21568 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 19270 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 19214 times