At least 26 killed in South Sudan tribal clashes

At least 26 people have been killed and 82 others injured in Abyei town on the border between South Sudan and Sudan after clashes between two rival tribes, the United Nations said in a statement on Thursday.

Abyei is an oil-rich area that is jointly administered by South Sudan and Sudan, which have both staked claims to it following South Sudan's independence in 2011.

The clashes took place at the Amiet Common Market in Abyei town and involved members of Ngok Dinka and Misseriya tribes and were sparked by the initial killing of two men from both tribes on Monday and Tuesday.

The initial killings of the two men escalated tensions between the two communities around the market, a key economic hub in the area, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei said in the statement.

"Following the deadly violence, UNISFA immediately reinforced its security presence in and around the market and deployed additional forces to de-escalate the situation," the agency said.

The two tribes are long-time rivals and similar deadly clashes have broken out in the past over disputes involving grazing lands and watering points for their animals.

South Sudan has been mostly at peace since a 2018 agreement ended a five-year conflict during which thousands of people were killed. Elections, the first since the country's independence, are due to be held in December.