S Sudan army says strikes on rebels imminent

The UN is struggling to cope with the number of civilians trying to take cover in their camps [Reuters]

South Sudan's army will step up the fight against rebels with imminent strikes in Bor and Bentiu, the army spokesman told Al Jazeera. The UN warned that the planned strikes on Monday could stall peace efforts and further escalate violence that has gripped the fledgling nation. Spokesman Philip Aguer said on Monday, "the army is on its way to Jonglei and Unity states to retake territory and will attack within a few hours."  Aguer denied that the conflict is stoked by ethnic tensions insisting the situation is political. He said about 2,000 soldiers have defected from government forces. The United Nations estimates that at least 1,000 people have been killed and more than 100,000 are internally displaced, since fighting broke out over a week ago after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy, Riek Machar, of attempting a coup. Never has there been a greater time of need in South Sudan. Toby Lanzer, UN human coordinator Machar denied this allegation but told Al Jazeera on Sunday that he wanted to be the next leader of the country and run for president at the next election in 2015. He called on Kiir to step down. In a statement released to journalists on Monday President Salva Kiir spoke to parliament on saying, "I will never ever, take the country back to war." Speaking from Juba Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa said on Monday there is new fighting in Upper Nile state, another oil rich area, with sustained fighting continuing in Jonglei and Unity states. The three states along the border with Sudan contain the country's oil fields, which could prompt the conflict to spill over into its northern neighbour, Sudan.  The fighting has forced locals and foreigners alike to take cover at UN bases which are struggling to cope with the large influx. The situation in the UN camps is getting volatile, and what started as a power struggle is now taking its toll on civilians, added Al Jazeera's correspondent.     "We had people with us that were South Sudanese but from a different tribe from the majority in the UN camp in Juba. People got angry that this particular tribe were with us, they said get them out or we will kill them, we had to leave," she added.  Stalled peace efforts Toby Lanzer, the UN's humanitarian coordinator told Al Jazeera on Monday he expects hundreds of thousand of people are affected by the fighting, adding that no community in the country has been spared. He said that it is now not only political parties involved, with armed youth increasingly taking matters into their own hands, particularly in different parts of Jonglei state. "Everything must be done at the political level, the continued violence threatens peace efforts. "There are about 50,000 people in UN bases, but there are also people hiding in churches, cathedrals, in between villages - wherever they feel safe," he added.  He urged financial assistance from the international community saying they couldn't afford any delay from donors. "Never has there been a greater time of need in South Sudan," he added.