Rebels and government troops in South Sudan battled for control of an oil-rich state Wednesday, after leaders in Washington and at the United Nations called for the bloodshed to stop.
Rebels held the northern half of the city of Malakal, the capital of the oil-rich Upper Nile state, while government soldiers held the southern half, said Col. Philip Aguer.
South Sudan officials said the fighting was ongoing, despite a report from the state-run news agency that claimed the rebels, loyal to ousted Vice President Riek Machar, had seized the city.
The fighting between rival ethnic groups, which began mid-month, has led to mass killings as evidenced by mass graves, the United Nations has said.
The Security Council has voted to add thousands more troops to its peacekeeping presence there to protect civilians in the young nation convulsed by violence. It would bring the total force up to 12,500 soldiers and 1,323 police officers.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Wednesday those responsible for civilian deaths would be held accountable.
"We know many of you are suffering from horrific attacks," Ban told the people of South Sudan in a radio address. "Families are fleeing their homes. Many of you have lost loved ones and are grieving.
"I once again call on the country's leaders to settle their differences peacefully -- and I underscore their responsibility to protect civilians," he said. "I have warned all responsible for crimes that they will be held accountable."
Fighting began months after President Salva Kiir dismissed Machar, whose supporters have taken up arms against the government. Kiir and Machar are longtime rivals from two different tribal clans.
Late Tuesday, a bipartisan group of U.S. legislators sent a letter to South Sudan's president, calling for a halt to rhetoric that condones violence against his rivals.
http://cnnmobile.com/primary/fullarticle?topic=newsarticle&category=intl&pageSize=10&pageNo=1&articleId=cnn/2013/12/25/world/africa/south-sudan-fighting
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