South Sudan: Official in troubled state of Jonglei says more than 3,000 people have been killed in tribal clashes that broke out last week.
Somalia: Africa Union extends mandate of its peacekeeping force in Somalia by 12 months and says it plans to increase force size in effort to fight al-Shabab.
Nigeria: Thunder, Nigeria's newly acquired warship, arrives at Lagos harbor after sailing from United States.
South Africa: A frail 93-year old former President Nelson Mandela will not be able to attend celebrations marking 100th anniversary of the African National Congress.
Ivory Coast: President, prime minister and other politicians play a football match to raise money for country's African Cup of Nations Campaign.
South Sudan clashes: Dozens killed in Jonglei state
Some 60,000 people are believed to have been displaced by months of violence Forced to choose between Sudans
Garang's ex-chef savours freedom
Gunmen have killed at least 51 people - mostly women and children - in the latest clashes in South Sudan's troubled Jonglei state, regional governor Kuol Manyang has said.
At least 22 others were injured after attackers raided and burned the village of Duk Padiet, he added.
The wounded have been evacuated to Juba, the capital, he said.
A series of retaliatory attacks between ethnic groups in the region has displaced tens of thousands of people. "We are expecting more to be injured because they ran to the villages last night," Mr Manyang said. Officials told AFP news agency the killings were carried out by the Murle group on ethnic Dinkas, as revenge for a deadly raid last month on the town of Pibor. It is understood that some Dinkas accompanied some 6,000 Lou Nuer warriors who attacked Pibor.
The cycle of violence has lasted months and killed hundreds of people. It began as cattle raids but has spiralled out of control. Continue reading the main story Audio slideshow: Cattle country BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says the attacks are getting increasingly violent and neither the government nor the United Nations peacekeepers seem capable of stopping them. Officials point out that Jonglei is the size of Bangladesh and that it is impossible to protect every village.
Some of the reinforcements sent to the region have been deployed in Murle areas around Pibor but the revenge attacks are now happening in Dinka and Lou Nuer communities. South Sudan, which gained independence last year, has declared Jonglei a national "disaster area", while the UN has launched an emergency operation to help those affected by the fighting.
President Kiir: The New Year brings new hope of building a peaceful nation The President of the Republic, Salva Kiir Mayardit has extended New Year wishes to all the citizens of the country. In his message to the people of South Sudan as a free nation on Sunday, President Kiir called on the South Sudanese to start the New Year by reflecting on their past to inform the future.
The message indicated that a new year brings new hopes, challenges and new opportunities and that the people of the country need to build a peaceful, prosperous, secure, and stable South Sudan. President Kiir said it is unfortunate that as the country celebrates this new beginning, there are still tribal conflicts going on due to cattle rustling, pinpointing the current conflict in Jonglei state between the Lou Nuer and the Murle tribes. According to the message of President Kiir, the senseless behaviour of raiding each other’s cattle can no longer be tolerated and should stop with immediate effect. The message puts it plainly that the cattle are a national resource, culture and pride and should therefore not be turned in to a curse resource.
Government of the Republic of South Sudan
President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
President Kiir called upon the youth of Lou Nuer who are currently occupying Murle villages claiming they are perusing their stolen cattle, abducted children and women to leave the Murle villages and return to the Lou Nuer villages urging that the Government must be the one to pursue the stolen cattle, abducted children and women. He also called on the Murle tribe to desist themselves from the culture of stealing cattle and abducting children and women of their neighbours and ensure that the cattle they had taken and the children and women they abducted are returned to joint their families. The President strongly directs the Lou Nuer to move out from the Murle villages and has equally ordered the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to move in and protect the civilians. He also warned politicians and community leaders encouraging this lawlessness act through cattle rustling to stop.
President Kiir was blunt that any politician or community leader whose statement would be construed as encouraging ethnic hostility will be made accountable. President Kiir called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations to work hand in hand to enhance the humanitarian assistance and to cooperate with the state and national authorities in facilitating the return of the abducted children and women back to their families and ensure that the stolen cattle are also returned to their rightful owners.
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A series of retaliatory attacks between ethnic groups in the region has displaced tens of thousands of people. "We are expecting more to be injured because they ran to the villages last night," Mr Manyang said. Officials told AFP news agency the killings were carried out by the Murle group on ethnic Dinkas, as revenge for a deadly raid last month on the town of Pibor. It is understood that some Dinkas accompanied some 6,000 Lou Nuer warriors who attacked Pibor.
The cycle of violence has lasted months and killed hundreds of people. It began as cattle raids but has spiralled out of control. Continue reading the main story Audio slideshow: Cattle country BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says the attacks are getting increasingly violent and neither the government nor the United Nations peacekeepers seem capable of stopping them. Officials point out that Jonglei is the size of Bangladesh and that it is impossible to protect every village.
Some of the reinforcements sent to the region have been deployed in Murle areas around Pibor but the revenge attacks are now happening in Dinka and Lou Nuer communities. South Sudan, which gained independence last year, has declared Jonglei a national "disaster area", while the UN has launched an emergency operation to help those affected by the fighting.
President Kiir: The New Year brings new hope of building a peaceful nation The President of the Republic, Salva Kiir Mayardit has extended New Year wishes to all the citizens of the country. In his message to the people of South Sudan as a free nation on Sunday, President Kiir called on the South Sudanese to start the New Year by reflecting on their past to inform the future.
The message indicated that a new year brings new hopes, challenges and new opportunities and that the people of the country need to build a peaceful, prosperous, secure, and stable South Sudan. President Kiir said it is unfortunate that as the country celebrates this new beginning, there are still tribal conflicts going on due to cattle rustling, pinpointing the current conflict in Jonglei state between the Lou Nuer and the Murle tribes. According to the message of President Kiir, the senseless behaviour of raiding each other’s cattle can no longer be tolerated and should stop with immediate effect. The message puts it plainly that the cattle are a national resource, culture and pride and should therefore not be turned in to a curse resource.
Government of the Republic of South Sudan
President Kiir called upon the youth of Lou Nuer who are currently occupying Murle villages claiming they are perusing their stolen cattle, abducted children and women to leave the Murle villages and return to the Lou Nuer villages urging that the Government must be the one to pursue the stolen cattle, abducted children and women. He also called on the Murle tribe to desist themselves from the culture of stealing cattle and abducting children and women of their neighbours and ensure that the cattle they had taken and the children and women they abducted are returned to joint their families. The President strongly directs the Lou Nuer to move out from the Murle villages and has equally ordered the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to move in and protect the civilians. He also warned politicians and community leaders encouraging this lawlessness act through cattle rustling to stop.
President Kiir was blunt that any politician or community leader whose statement would be construed as encouraging ethnic hostility will be made accountable. President Kiir called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations to work hand in hand to enhance the humanitarian assistance and to cooperate with the state and national authorities in facilitating the return of the abducted children and women back to their families and ensure that the stolen cattle are also returned to their rightful owners.
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