A former high-ranking southern army member who had previously rebelled against
the southern regional government attacked the towns of Fangak and Dor in the
Upper Nile state on Wednesday, breaking a January ceasefire, said Col.
Philip Aguer, the army spokesman.
Aguer said 105 people were killed in the two towns: 39 civilians, 24 southern
police and soldiers, and 42 of rebel Commander George Athor's men. AP
attempted to reach Athor and his top aide for comment but the phone calls to
the remote region did not go through.
The aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Friday it is treating dozens of
wounded.
About 50 patients have been admitted to aid group's health facilities.
"We are mainly seeing patients with gunshot wounds, and many have
significant abdominal and limb injuries," said Tim Baerwaldt, head of
the group's mission in Southern Sudan.
Medical supplies and personnel have been flown to Malakal, the major town in
Upper Nile state, the medical group said.
The violence comes the same week final results were announced from Southern
Sudan's Jan. 9-15 independence referendum. Nearly 99 per cent of ballots
were cast for independence, setting the region on course to become the
world's newest country in July.
The fresh fighting, though, is a reminder that renegade commanders abound in a
region that suffered from two decades of war. The 1983-2005 north-south
civil war killed more than 2 million people.
Athor's troops captured Fangak on Wednesday, and the fighting continued
through Thursday until the southern military retook it, Aguer said. No new
fighting was reported on Friday.
