Ethnic clashes killed 26 people and wounded another 82 in the Abyei region disputed by Sudan and South Sudan, the UN agency there said Thursday.
Clashes are frequent in Abyei and the region’s status has remained unresolved since South Sudan gained independence and became a nation in 2011.
The violence broke out Tuesday at the Amiet Common Market, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (Unisfa) said.
It followed the separate killings of a Ngok Dinka man and a Misseriya man earlier in the month “which heightened tensions between the two communities,” said Unisfa.
“We are actively engaging with the leaders of the two communities who have reiterated their commitment to dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the hostilities,” said Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shreshta of Unisfa.
“Our priority is to prevent further loss of life. We urge all community leaders to embrace dialogue and advance peaceful coexistence.”
The UN force had stepped up its presence in and around the market, the statement added.
The UNISFA force is composed of 3,000 police and soldiers whose mission is to protect civilians.