Hundreds of people may have been killed in the heaviest fighting between Sudan's former north-south foes since they signed a peace deal last year, a senior former rebel officer said today.
Terrified civilians in the southern town of Malakal reported looting and dead bodies in the streets after three days of clashes, and UN officials in New York said 240 civilian personnel had been temporarily evacuated from the town.
"More than hundreds have been lost. The Sudan army sustained very heavy casualties and civilians were caught in the crossfire," Elias Waya Nyipuocs, a senior officer in the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army, said.
Mr Nyipuocs said militias belonging to the northern Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) attacked the SPLA and the local commissioner of Malakal.
The militiamen then took refuge in the SAF barracks near the airport and full combat began.
Their tanks then counter-attacked and also shelled the town, inflicting many civilian casualties, Mr Nyipuocs said.
A UN statement said fighting had subsided early today, but tension between armed groups in the town remained high and there was sporadic gunfire, looting of shops and violence against civilians.