2017届高考英语二轮复习阅读理解素材：22

南苏丹反叛分子发动多起袭击

Rebels in South Sudan are involved in fierce fighting with the army in several areas of the country, the military spokesman has told the BBC.

烦乱分子在南苏丹多个地区与军队发生激烈的战斗。

There is ongoing fighting in the north-east of Upper Nile State and the east of Jonglei State, Philip Aguer said.

Earlier, the rebels denied a UN report that they killed hundreds of civilians after taking control last week of the oil hub, Bentiu, in Unity State.

A ceasefire deal in January has failed to halt the violence.

More than a million people have been forced from their homes since fighting broke out in December 2017.

The conflict pits President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against his former Vice-President, Riek Machar, from the Nuer community.

'Temporary loss'

Mr Aguer said that the army had also been forced to withdraw from Mayom in Unity State in order to reorganise its forces following the loss of Bentiu.

"The victory that's been achieved by the rebels is temporary, it's just a matter of time [before] they will be out of Bentiu," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

But he said there were several other fronts on which the rebels were active.

For the last week, the town of Renk in the north-east of Upper Nile State had come under attack from Mr Machar's forces.

"That should be condemned internationally; there is no war where you bombard residential areas indiscriminately at night… [it has] caused havoc and fear."

"I have never seen a movement that have a desire in killing many people as possible as Riek Machar's force."

On Tuesday morning, there had also been "heavy fighting" in several places in Duk county in Jonglei which came under rebel attack, the army spokesman said.

But he said the army had repulsed them and was pursing the rebels.