Key South Sudan town of Bor 'recaptured from rebels'

The strategic South Sudanese town of Bor has been recaptured from rebel forces, an army spokesman has said.

Government forces had defeated more than 15,000 rebel troops in Bor, army spokesman Philip Aguer said. There has been no comment from the rebels.

Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, has changed hands several times in a month-long conflict that is believed to have left thousands dead.

Talks to try to find a ceasefire are continuing in Ethiopia.

The conflict between rebel and government forces broke out on 15 December. President Salva Kiir has accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup - an accusation he denies.

The dispute has seen killings along ethnic lines - Mr Kiir is a member of the Dinka community, the country's largest, while Mr Machar is from the Nuer ethnic group.

On Thursday, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni confirmed Ugandan troops were now fighting alongside government forces against the rebels.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting.

'Malakal attack'

Col Aguer told reporters that previous assaults had weakened the rebels in Bor and no further fighting was needed on Saturday.

Col Aguer said the victory eliminated the psychological pressure of a rebel attack on the capital, Juba.

He also said the focus would now fall on the town of Malakal, still party controlled by the rebels, with the government forces planning an imminent attack.

But Col Aguer admitted maintaining communication with government forces there was "difficult".

The BBC's Mark Lowen, in Juba, says Bor has changed hands a number of times already - and it is not inconceivable that Riek Machar could mobilise his forces for another assault.

Talks to try to agree a ceasefire are continuing in a hotel in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

There have been conflicting reports about progress in the discussions, but no breakthrough has yet been signalled.

Our correspondent says it is widely believed that the talks have stalled because both sides are aiming for an upper hand in the fighting before real negotiations begin.

The release of political detainees continues to be a key issue that must be resolved.

On Friday, UN Human Rights fact finder Ivan Simonovic told the BBC that Bor and Bentiu, which have both changed hands a number of times, were now "ghost towns".

Mr Simonovic said both government soldiers and rebels had committed atrocities.

He said there had been reports of "mass killings, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, widespread destruction and looting of property and use of the children in conflict".