(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has said that at least 28 rebels were killed in Tuesday clashes in Upper Nile State.
"SPLA forces repulsed a rebel attack this morning in Gelashel between Nasir and Malakal," army spokesman Col. Philip Aguer told The Anadolu Agency.
He said 28 rebels had been killed in the clashes and a machinegun confiscated.
"SPLA forces are pursuing the rebels," Aguer added.
The spokesman said preliminary reports did not provide details of injuries or casualties among the SPLA's ranks.
South Sudan is now 15 months into a political crisis following a power struggle within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement.
In December of 2013, full-blown conflict erupted, which President Salva Kiir was quick to portray as a "coup attempt" by his sacked vice-president, Riek Machar.
The ensuing conflict has left tens of thousands of people dead, two million seeking refuge € both internally and as refugees in neighboring countries € and 2.5 million at risk of starvation in 2015, according to UN data.
Several months of on-again, off-again peace talks in Addis Ababa have failed to produce any breakthroughs.
In between peace talks, clashes between the government army and rebel forces continued to erupt, despite occasional cease-fire agreements announced between the warring camps.
President Kiir on Monday told parliament that the crisis could only be solved through negotiations, reiterating his commitment to an earlier cease-fire arrangement.
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