At least 14 people have been killed in South Sudan after new fighting erupted between government forces and the main rebel group.
Lam Paul Gabriel Lam, the SPLM-IO rebel group’s spokesman, told Reuters on Saturday during the last two days the army has bombed rebel-held areas around Raga-a northwestern town near the border with Sudan and Central African Republic.
“Yesterday our forces decided to go and raid Raga,” he said. “Around 14 people were counted killed but many are injured. We had one soldier killed with some injuries.”
Santo Domic Chol, the government’s military spokesman, said he was in Raga and would provide information later.
The United Nations, which has a large peacekeeping force in the East African nation, confirmed the latest outbreak of violence.
“Fresh fighting has broken out between government and opposition forces in a number of locations, including Raga in the west of South Sudan, Waat in Jonglei to the east, and in the area of Wunkur and Tonga in the northern Upper Nile region,” the UN said in a statement.
The surge in fighting in eastern South Sudan has forced 60 aid workers to flee, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said on Saturday, hurting efforts to help desperate civilians in the famine-hit nation.
Three UN World Food Program workers were killed this week while trying to get to a supply warehouse amid fighting between rebel and government troops near the western city of Wau.
“There are no words left to explain the level of frustration and outrage I feel regarding the continued attacks against humanitarians in South Sudan who are simply trying to help the civilians who are suffering as a result of this conflict,” said Eugene Owusu, OCHA coordinator, in a statement.
