Friday, April 25, 2025
9:20 AM
Doha,Qatar
Journalists sit inside the conference room as artillery fire broke out near the presidential palace

At least 115 soldiers killed in South Sudan clashes

At least 115 soldiers from South Sudan's rival factions were killed in gunbattles in the capital Juba, a military spokesman for the opposition said on Saturday, amid fears for a fragile peace process in a country still reeling from a two-year war.

Gunfire erupted on Friday evening near the state house where President Salva Kiir and vice president Riek Machar, former rivals, were meeting for talks.
Both men said they did not know what had triggered the latest fighting between their factions and called for calm.
William Gatjiath Deng, spokesman for Machar's military faction, said the fighting had occurred near the state house and in army barracks.
"In the morning we collected and counted 35 (dead) from the SPLM-IO (Machar's faction) and 80 people from the government forces," he said.
Deng said the death toll could rise on Machar's side "because there are some soldiers seriously wounded".
The government side had no immediate comment on the situation in Juba.
At least five soldiers were killed on Thursday in similar clashes between the two sides.
Africa's newest nation is emerging from a two-year civil war which started in December 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar as vice president.
The conflict was largely fought along ethnic lines with Kiir mostly drawing support from his Dinka tribe while Machar was backed by his Nuer tribe.
A peace agreement last August ended the war but Kiir and Machar have yet to integrate their forces, a key part of the agreement.
Thursday and Friday's gunfights were the first major outbreak of violence in Juba since Machar returned to the capital in April after his re-appointment as vice president.
A Reuters witness said on Saturday Juba was calm but tense with road blocks mounted on some streets. Heavy military vehicles could be seen patrolling and most businesses were shuttered.
"It seems as though things have certainly calmed from what they were last night. However the situation is still very, very tense," said Jeremiah Young, an aid worker with World Vision.
Young said there was a chance the security situation could "deteriorate very quickly due to the tensions within Juba and the surrounding areas."
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday the latest violence highlighted a lack of commitment to the peace process and urged the country's leaders to end the fighting, discipline military leaders and work together to implement the peace deal.

Comments
  • There are no comments.

Add Comments

B1Details

Latest News

SPORT

Canada's youngsters set stage for new era

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.

1:43 PM February 26 2017
TECHNOLOGY

A payment plan for universal education

Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education

11:46 AM December 14 2016
CULTURE

10-man Lekhwiya leave it late to draw Rayyan 2-2

Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions

7:10 AM November 26 2016
ARABIA

Yemeni minister hopes 48-hour truce will be maintained

The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged

10:30 AM November 27 2016
ARABIA

QM initiative aims to educate society on arts and heritage

Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.

10:55 PM November 27 2016
ARABIA

Qatar, Indonesia to boost judicial ties

The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.

10:30 AM November 28 2016
ECONOMY

Sri Lanka eyes Qatar LNG to fuel power plants in ‘clean energy shift’

Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.

10:25 AM November 12 2016
B2Details
C7Details