South Sudan army orders civilian evacuation as fighting intensifies

South Sudan's army on Tuesday ordered civilians to evacuate areas controlled by opposition forces in Jonglei state in the east to avoid being used as "human shields", as fighting between the two camps intensifies.

In a statement, South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang said civilians should leave areas near military barracks, assembly points and rally sites.

The military order comes a day after an airstrike at a market in Nyirol county killed 26 civilians, according to local media reports.

Thirty more people were injured in the attack, a local rights group told AFP.

Fighting between the SSPDF and the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) has escalated since 24 December, after SPLA-IO forces overran a military position in Waat, a town in Jonglei State.

"The...orders serve to avoid and minimise collateral damage during phases of military operations," reads the statement.

The evacuation notice affects three counties; Nyirol, Uror and Akobo, located in Jonglei State.

The latest clashes come amid the gradual collapse of a fragile power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar, stoking fears of a renewed slide into civil war.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but quickly fell into a five-year civil war.

A 2018 peace deal ended fighting but its leaders have repeatedly failed to hold elections or unify their armed forces.

(AFP)