JUBA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called for an immediate end to the fighting in and around Kai Gai area, Leer County of the country's Unity State.

"The Mission takes note of reported attacks early on Nov. 28 by pro-government forces and armed youth against a base operated by the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLM-IO). UNMISS can confirm that thousands of civilians have fled from the affected areas and are currently seeking refuge in Leer town," the UNMISS said in a statement in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on Thursday.

Nicholas Haysom, the special representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the UNMISS, expressed concern, saying the fighting might derail the implementation of the peace agreement and worsen the already humanitarian crisis in the country.

"I am very concerned by the reports of youth being mobilized, and of defections by some armed personnel which go against the very spirit of the Revitalized Peace Agreement. This can destroy the trust and gains between parties to the peace process and worsen the humanitarian situation in Unity State and in the country," Haysom said in the statement.

The mission called on all parties to take immediate measures to de-escalate hostilities and use peaceful means to resolve any disputes.

It lauded the efforts of the state authorities who responded promptly to reduce tensions in the area.

The UNMISS said the peacekeepers have stepped up patrols in the affected areas to defuse tensions and support local authorities to restore security and calm, adding that they are engaging with officials in the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM) and SPLM-IO political and military authorities across the State to ensure restraint and order.

South Sudan descended into a civil war shortly after independence following a political disagreement between President Salva Kiir and his then-deputy Riek Machar that killed about 400,000 people, according to the UN.

Kiir, Machar, and other political leaders signed a peace agreement in 2018 that ended the war. At the end of the transitional period, the country is expected to conduct a general election in December 2024. Enditem

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