South Sudan’s rebels under the leadership of former vice president Riek Machar have regretted the killing of an American journalist in Kaya town over the weekend.

On Saturday freelance journalist Christopher Allen was killed when fighting erupted between opposition and government forces in Kaya town on the border with Uganda.

SPLA-IO deputy military spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said in a statement on Sunday that Christopher Allen was targeted during the military clashes.

“Chris was committed to the truth and wanted to show the world the truth about the fight in South Sudan and its effect on the displaced population,” partly reads the statement.

Meanwhile, an international human rights group said the killing of an American journalist in South Sudan violates international humanitarian law and should be investigated.

South Sudan’s leaders should ‘‘condemn this killing, investigate how it happened, and hold those responsible to account,’’ said Jehanne Henry, senior Africa researcher for Human Rights Watch.