At least 14 soldiers killed in South Sudan as 'love triangle' turns bloody

A clash between members of the Unified VIP Protection Force, which comprises government troops and opposition fighters, erupted on Monday at a market near the oil-rich Abyei Box region, which straddles the border between Sudan and South Sudan.

A fragile power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival, Riek Machar, has been unravelling for months, threatening to return the young nation to a civil war that left 400,000 dead in the 2010s.

Machar was indicted last month on charges of murder, treason and crimes against humanity, and was stripped of his position as first vice president in the unity government, further fuelling fears of renewed tensions.

According to South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) spokesman Lul Ruai Koang, Monday's dispute began between two officers, one pro-Machar and the other pro-Kiir.

"There are two conflicting accounts regarding the cause of the crisis: first version says it was a purely personal misunderstanding between the two officers at a tea place and the other says it was a love triangle," Koang told reporters during a press briefing at the army general headquarters in the capital Juba.

"The two men reportedly quarrelled after both were reported to be romantically involved with the same lady," he said.

The situation escalated when the Machar-aligned officer shot his Kiir-aligned counterpart, prompting their respective bodyguards to open fire.

Violence then erupted from the market, spreading to primary checkpoints and barracks, Koang said.

"A total of 14 servicemen were killed: six from the SPLA-IO (Machar's party) and eight from the SSPDF," Koang confirmed.

One civilian was reportedly caught in the crossfire, with their condition yet to be confirmed, while five soldiers were injured and are receiving treatment.

Koang said the incident was not "politically motivated" but confirmed that an investigation has been launched.

The United Nations rights chief warned last month that South Sudan is on the brink of renewed war, as nearly 2,000 civilians have been killed in surging violence this year.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but quickly fell into a five-year civil war.

A 2018 peace deal ended the fighting, but leaders have repeatedly failed to hold elections or unify their armed forces.