South Sudan army recaptures Bor town

South Sudanese army said Saturday it had recaptured the strategic town of Bor which was held by rebels loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar, local media reported.

"Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) of South Sudan Saturday announced that it regained control of Bor, the capital city of Jonglei state, after violent battles during the past two days," Xinhua reported.

"The SPLA forces have entered Bor," Ashrouq quoted Philip Aguer, South Sudan army spokesperson, as saying, noting that "South Sudan army has defeated more than 15,000 of Machar's men".

On Dec 31, South Sudan's army admitted that it lost Bor, capital of Jonglei State, to the rebels.

Since mid-December, South Sudan has witnessed clashes between two military factions, one descending from the Dinka tribe, to which South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit belongs, and the other descending from the Nuer tribe, to which Machar belongs.

The clashes have left more than 1,000 people dead and over 400,000 civilians displaced, according to UN reports. Last week alone, some 78,000 civilians fled to neighbouring countries.