Fresh clashes erupted again in Nasser County of Upper Nile state early on Wednesday between South Sudan’s two main warring parties, SPLA-Juba and SPLA-IO, a local official told Radio Tamazuj.

Al Tayib Ajak, an advisor in the Upper Nile State government, said that forces loyal to SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar on Monday started to attack their forces in Nasser town.

“The rebels always launch attacks on our positions in Nasser because they do not want peace,” he said.

The state official further said that SPLA-Juba was still maintaining its position in the area. He added that all counties of Upper Nile state are still clam.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission in South Sudan reported that their peacekeepers in Nasser heard small-arms fire and indirect explosions on Wednesday in the vicinity of Nassir. Fighting briefly resumed in the early evening in the south of the town, said a UN spokesperson.

The clashes prompted condemnation from diplomats in Juba and a call for both sides to cease combat and exercise restraint.

Diplomats of European Union countries and Japan stated, “This renewed fighting is completely in contradiction of commitments made by both sides to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, it is devastating people’s lives and rapidly draining valuable resources that need to be invested in the country’s development.”

“We will look forward to the IGAD MVM report to determine who has been responsible for the various violations, and call on all sides to cease combat and exercise restraint,” the ambassadors stated.

Incident in Fashoda

Separately, the Upper Nile State official told Radio Tamazuj that authorities have arrested three SPLA soldiers for shooting unintentionally at four youth during a party organized by the native administration in Fashoda area.

He said that the four young men sustained injuries and that they are now receiving treatment, while dismissing claims that the incident had happened during the New Year celebrations.