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South Sudan clashes target civilians: UN

22 May 2011 01:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Civilians are being targeted in "heightened violence" between south Sudan’s army and a rebel militia in oil-rich Unity state, the United Nations said on Saturday, APA reports quoting news.yahoo.com website.
Rebels led by former southern army general Peter Gadet have been fighting the southern army in intermittent clashes since April, leaving over 100 dead and forcing thousands to flee.
Land mines and heavy weapons are being used against civilians, the UN said.
Renewed fighting broke out on Friday in Unity’s Mayom area, leaving "several casualties," according to both rebels and southern officials.
"The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) is deeply concerned by the heightened violence and the loss of life in Unity State," a statement read.
Fighting has also spread to parts of neighbouring Warrap state, with "serious violations of basic human rights."
"Of regular concern are reports that civilians are being targeted, including by use of heavy caliber weapons and land-mines," the statement added.
The scale of violence is raising concern as the south gears up for full independence in July, after almost 99 percent voted in a January referendum to separate from the north.
Over 1,000 people have died in violence and more than 100,000 forced from their homes across the south this year, according to UN and official figures.
Charles Kuol, commissioner for Mayom, where some of the heaviest fighting has been seen, said the clinic in his town was "full of wounded."
"There have been many with shot wounds, several killed, including from a land mine yesterday that blew up a vehicle," Kuol said, adding that there were no reports of fighting on Saturday.
Both sides, however, appeared to reject UN appeals for "peaceful settlement."
"It was the rebels who attacked us," said Unity information minister Gideon Gatpan.
"They must lay down their arms immediately because we will defeat them if not."
Rebel spokesman Bol Gatkouth said the militia were fighting for "change".
"We are willing to talk, but so far we have not seen any sign the authorities are serious in this," he said.
"So we are recruiting more forces and they should expect more attacks."
No reliable death toll was available from the fighting, with the rebels and the army each claiming to have killed "several" on the other side, and dismissing each other’s reports as lies.
The rebels want to overthrow the southern government, denouncing the "rampant corruption" at the top levels of the south’s ruling party.
The rebellion is only one of at least seven different militia groups across the south fighting the government, which is also struggling to contain heavily armed cattle raiders, who fight regularly.
Mayom is near key oil-pumping areas critical to Sudan’s economy, close to the disputed north-south border and contested Abyei area.
Fighting broke out in Abyei on Thursday and Friday, including an attack on a UN peacekeepers escorting a convoy of northern soldiers, as well as aerial bombing raids.