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South Sudan troops retake Bor from rebels: President

Iran Press TV

Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:57PM GMT

South Sudan President Salva Kiir says government troops have retaken control of the key town of Bor, the capital of Jonglei State, from rebel forces.

'Forces loyal to the government have taken Bor and (are) now clearing whatever forces that are remaining there,' the president told journalists on Tuesday at his office in Juba.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth also said the army has captured Bor around sunset, sending rebel forces fleeing nearly a week after they seized the town.

The capture comes while rebel forces remain in control of vast swathes of Jonglei State, and still hold the town of Bentiu, the capital of oil-producing Unity State.

Fighting has gripped South Sudan for more than a week, after the government accused former vice president Riek Machar, who was sacked in July, of attempting to stage a coup.

Machar denied the claim and accused the president of exploiting the tensions to clamp down on his rivals.

On Monday, Machar said he was ready for talks with the government to put an end to more than a week of fighting that has killed hundreds of people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

He said dialog could start 'straight away' if the government released his detained political allies and evacuated to Addis Ababa.

The government said last week that 10 senior political figures, many of them former ministers, were arrested in connection with an investigation of the alleged coup attempt led by Machar.

But Makuei immediately dismissed demands made by Marchar, insisting that the government was 'only ready to negotiate with him unconditionally.'

Fears are on the rise over the humanitarian situation in South Sudan after a mass grave was found in rebel-held town of Bentiu, while fresh reports indicate an orchestrated campaign of ethnic killings and rape.

On Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the UN will investigate reports of 'grave human rights violations and crimes against humanity,' and those responsible will be held responsible and face the consequences.

MRS/PR