South Sudan army says recaptured Bor

The South Sudanese army says it has regained control of the city of Bor, the capital of the restive Jonglei state, defeating over 1,000 rebel fighters loyal to former vice president, Riek Machar.

Philip Aguer, an army spokesman, said South Sudanese troops managed to enter Bor, situated 200 kilometers north of the capital, Juba, on Saturday after they “defeated more than 15,000 forces of Riek Machar and frustrated his plans to attack Juba.”

Ateny Wek Ateny, a spokesman for South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, said the army forces had been “congratulated for a job well done.”

The historical town has already switched hands four times since the outbreak of the intense fighting in South Sudan some five weeks ago.

Meanwhile, fierce clashes are going on between the army soldiers and rebels over the control of the northeastern town of Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile state.

Both rival sides claim that Malakal is in their hands. However, Aguer said the army cannot contact its commanders to get updates on the ground in the key oil town.

Violence erupted in South Sudan on December 15, 2013, after President Salva Kiir accused Riek Machar, a former vice president who was sacked last July, of attempting to stage a coup. The fighting continues despite efforts to broker a ceasefire between the government and the rebels.

Up to 10,000 people are believed to have been killed so far in the violence gripping South Sudan. According to the United Nations, about 400,000 civilians have also fled their homes in the wake of heavy fighting there.

On Friday, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic said the conflict in South Sudan has turned into a horrifying human rights disaster, stressing, “The extent of the looting, burning and destruction is hard to grasp for anybody who hasn’t been there.”