The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, says he is deeply alarmed by the ongoing fighting in Juba between soldiers of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the SPLM in Opposition forces.

“This outbreak of hostilities in the capital, on the eve of the country’s fifth anniversary of independence, is yet another illustration of the parties’ lack of serious commitment to the peace process and represents a new betrayal of the people of South Sudan, who have suffered from unfathomable atrocities since December 2013,” he said in a statement.

The gunfire started yesterday in Gudelle and Munuki suburbs. They resumed today as the President and his two deputies were in a meeting to discuss the yesterday’s incident.

Mr Ban says he is also “gravely concerned by the resurgence of violence in Wau and Bentiu, which could lead to a dramatic deterioration of the security situation across the country.”

“I demand that international humanitarian law be respected and also that unfettered access to those in need by United Nations and humanitarian partners be ensured. I strongly condemn attacks on United Nations and humanitarian operations, the latest of which was on a senior UN agency official in the capital last night,” he said, referring to an incident in which a senior UN staff was reportedly shot at in Juba. The official, who has not been named, is under treatement.

“I urge President Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to put an immediate end to the ongoing fighting, discipline the military leaders responsible for the violence and finally work together as partners to implement the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan,” the statement reads in part.

He added: “The United Nations remains committed to working with all South Sudanese, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and international and regional partners, to support the return of the country to peace and stability.”