Another 30 people were wounded after violence erupted between two ethnic groups
By George Obulutsa
NAIROBI, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Fighting between youths sheltering in a U.N. compound in South Sudan's Malakal killed five people and wounded 30 after violence erupted between two ethnic groups, the U.N. peacekeeping mission said on Thursday.
South Sudan descended into civil war in December 2013 when a row between President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy Riek Machar ended with fighting that often ran along ethnic fault lines.
People have been taking refuge in U.N.-administered "protection of civilian" sites, or POCs, since then. Thousands have been killed since late 2013.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNMISS, said youths from the Shilluk and Dinka ethnic groups -- both staying in its protection site -- began fighting on Wednesday night using small arms, machetes and other weapons.
"UNMISS police in charge of maintaining order within the protection sites immediately intervened with tear gas to disperse the crowd. Casualties were brought to the international NGO clinic in the site," it said in a statement.
"U.N. troops have increased perimeter patrolling while physically securing areas in the vicinity of the Protection of Civilians site. UNMISS is also engaging with local authorities in Malakal to de-escalate the situation."
(Writing by George Obulutsa; editing by Katharine Houreld)
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