Government troops and rebel fighters clashed in Fashoda, Kajo-Keji and Mundri areas as a new round of peace talks between South Sudan’s warring parties kicked off in Addis Ababa on Monday.

Moses Akiech Kur, the rebel-appointed minister of information in Fashoda state, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that government troops attacked their base in the area of Manyo, but they were repulsed on Saturday.

“The Agwelek forces managed to repulse the attackers,” he said.

But the state information minister from the government side, Othur Koch, denied the claims. Instead, he accused the rebels of attacking their base in the area

In Yei River State, rebel deputy spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said government troops captured the town of Lasu from their forces on Sunday.

Lam also claimed that the government had captured Mundri East from their forces last week, forcing a large number of civilians to run into the bush, amid harsh humanitarian conditions.

Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman of the SPLA army in Juba, denied knowledge of clashes in Mundri and Fashoda.

The revitalization forum in Ethiopia has been convened by the East African regional bloc IGAD and is aimed at reviving the 2015 peace agreement.