Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the African Union to set up a hybrid court with South Sudanese and African judges to try cases of abuses in South Sudan. The rights group says both the army and rebels have committed serious violations.

In its statement on Monday, the rights group said there is evidence of killings, rapes and forced disappearances by government forces in South Sudan's Western Equatoria state.

“The African Union (AU) Commission should move forward to establish a hybrid court to try the most serious crime cases from the current South Sudan conflict as envisioned in the August 2015 peace agreement,” Human Rights Watch said.

Last month, UN Assistant Secretary-General Ivan Simonovic pointed out that Western Equatoria is one of the new areas where violence was taking place. The UN official explained he had received reports of killings, sexual and gender-based violence and destruction of property there.

HRW further said its researchers visited the area in February and that witnesses cited soldiers attacking homes, looting belongings and displacing civilians.

"As South Sudan's fighting has shifted west, so too have the atrocities by government forces and rebel groups," said HRW Africa Director Daniel Bekele. "South Sudan's leaders should put a stop to all abuses."

HRW also called for an arms embargo on South Sudan.