(Bloomberg) -- An attack by fighters loyal to former South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar on government troops in the north of the country left at least 28 people dead, a government official said.
In one raid in Rubkuai county in Southern Liech state, three soldiers and eight attackers died, while the second attack in Leer county left one soldier and 16 assailants dead, South Liech Information Minister Peter Makouth Malual said by phone in Juba today. Seven government forces were injured in the attacks, he said.
The rebels were responding to government attacks on their positions, deputy rebel spokesman Paul Gabriel Lam said in a mobile-phone text message. Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said he'd comment on the incidents later.
Conflict that erupted in South Sudan in December 2013 has claimed tens of thousands of lives, forced 4 million from their homes and cratered an economy that already desperately needed development on independence in 2011. Crude production in the oil-rich nation has dropped by two-thirds to about 130,000 barrels because of the unrest.
To contact the reporter on this story: Okech Francis in Juba at fokech@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.
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