140 killed in Sudan after ceasefire is breached

Nearly 140 people, mostly civilians, have been killed after two days of fighting in Southern Sudan between the region's army and a rebel faction, a southern army spokesman said yesterday.

A former high-ranking southern army member who rebelled against the southern government following elections last year, broke a January cease-fire by attacking the towns of Fangak and Dor earlier this week, said Col. Philip Aguer, the spokesman for the southern army. Renegade commander George Athor's troops captured Fangak on Wednesday and fighting continued through Thursday until the southern military retook it, Aguer said.

No new fighting was reported yesterday.

Aguer said 89 civilians in the two towns were killed, along with 20 southern soldiers and police officers.

Aguer also said 30 of Athor's men were killed. In September, Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir offered amnesties to Athor and several other men who had launched armed uprisings against his government.