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South Sudan clashes 'leave dozens dead' in Juba | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Dozens of people have been killed by clashes in South Sudan's capital Juba, military, medical and journalistic sources have said. | |
Gunfire broke out on Friday evening near the state house where President Salva Kiir was meeting his sometime rival, Vice-President Riek Machar. | |
Estimates of the death toll vary, but most accounts put the number over 100 - some as high as 150. | |
A 2015 peace deal to end a 20-month civil war has failed to quell unrest. | A 2015 peace deal to end a 20-month civil war has failed to quell unrest. |
Juba is in lockdown as South Sudan, the world's newest country, marks the fifth anniversary of independence from neighbouring Sudan. | |
Friday's fighting was apparently sparked by a shootout between Mr Kiir's bodyguards and Mr Machar's. The two men met at the presidential palace on Friday. | |
'We want peace - and ice cream' | 'We want peace - and ice cream' |
The half-hour gun battle then escalated, with heavy weapons and artillery being used in several parts of the city. | |
On Saturday, a South Sudanese journalist told the BBC that other journalists stuck inside the state house counted at least 100 bodies, inside and outside the compound. | |
A hospital doctor told the Associated Press that scores of bodies had been brought in, while a military spokesman for the opposition - Mr Machar's faction - told Reuters 115 people had been killed. | |
Mr Kiir and Mr Machar described Friday's violence as "unfortunate". | Mr Kiir and Mr Machar described Friday's violence as "unfortunate". |
Under a peace deal agreed last August, the two armed factions took up positions in Juba in April. | |
Tens of thousands died in the civil war and millions were forced from their homes. | Tens of thousands died in the civil war and millions were forced from their homes. |
South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, is so broke that the authorities say no official anniversary celebrations will be held. | South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, is so broke that the authorities say no official anniversary celebrations will be held. |
The streets of Juba were reported to be fairly quiet on Saturday. | |
Roadblocks have been set up in the capital, with troops searching people for weapons. |