South Sudan Soldiers Head to Frontline to Fight Rebels

Crackles of gunfire send hundreds of people fleeing in a stampede — South Sudanese civilians, traumatized after escaping brutal fighting in which their relatives died, are still terrified of fresh attacks.

Dozens of soldiers are returning to the battle to retake the key town of Bor, the last major town in rebel hands after almost a month of heavy conflict.

Day after day barges loaded with civilians arrive on the far river bank having escaped the fighting in Bor.

Some of those included soldiers separated from their units when comrades rebelled, who are now regrouping to return back across to the fight.

South Sudan has been gripped by violence since December 15, when clashes broke out between army units loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and those supporting ex-vice president Riek Machar.

Top UN aid chief in South Sudan Toby Lanzer has warned of an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” in the young country.

The UN has said that “very substantially in excess” of 1,000 people have already been killed in the fighting, and that nearly a quarter of a million people have fled their homes.

What started as power struggle has morphed into a bitter civil conflict with ethnic overtones, pitting Kiir’s majority Dinka tribe against Machar’s Nuer community.

The battle to retake Bor continues.

The government has said it is mobilising thousands of additional troops, who are expected to join the offensive on the capital of Jonglei state.

Morale of the government troops has been boosted after comrades on Friday wrested back the key northern oil city of Bentiu from the rebels.

But in the opposite direction from where the soldiers head, the wounded and all those affected by the war flee, stretching those supporting them to the limits.

“The vast majority are people suffering from bloody diarrhoea, which is related to the bad conditions they are living in,” said Hugues Robert-Nicoud, MSF program manager.

Source: Al-Manar Website