Despite a previous agreement to conclude peace talks today, rebels and government forces in South Sudan are involved in new battles. There are reports that this week, the two sides have been engaged in heavy fighting in the town of Bor, an important city in the young nation. For nearly two weeks, violence has gripped the east African country, where political unrest, ethnic tensions and disputes about oil reserves have sparked reports of mass killings and have displaced more than 120,000. Late last week, government officials believed that a truce was soon possible, originally setting this afternoon as the deadline for a ceasefire agreement. But, today’s fighting has human rights watchers concerned that the situation could be getting worse. In a statement, the group Doctors Without Borders said, “Living conditions are verging on the catastrophic.” An emergency coordinator for the organization told CNN that people in Bor are in desperate need of aid. “There is no clean water, no food, and no place to shelter or sleep. They are relying solely on the help of the local population” …
