Clashes broke out on Tuesday afternoon between government forces and opposition troops in Kajo-Keji town in Yei River State, a government spokesman in the state said
Alfred Kenneth Duku, minister of information in Yei, told Radio Tamazuj that the rebel forces had attacked their troops in Wudu and Laker areas but they were repulsed after fierce fighting for three hours.
He claimed that their forces inflicted heavy losses on the attackers. He added that the opposition launched the attack to stop civilians from returning back to the area of Kajo-Keji.
Duku pointed out that they killed seven rebel soldiers during clashes between the two forces.
For his part, Lam Paul Gabriel, deputy military spokesman of the SPLA-IO forces, confirmed fighting in the area but claimed that the government forces had attacked their positions but they were repulsed.
Alfred Taban, member of the national parliament, said the clashes caused massive displacement among civilians in the area. He urged the two rival forces to commit to ceasefire.
The lawmaker, who is representing Kajo-Keji in the national parliament, called on international NGOs to assist internally displaced people in the area.