South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Fires Army Chief Paul Malong

South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked army chief Paul Malong who has been alleged of being involved in war crimes and ethnic cleansing. It is yet to be learned whether he will be appointed to another position.

Meanwhile, his position has been taken by General James Ajong and the move has not been explained even in a brief presidential decree that aired on Tuesday on state television.

The country is in the grip of civil war since Kiir came to power and initially the violence erupted in capital Juba but later spread across South Sudan.

Kiir is an ethnic Dinka and deputy president belongs to a Nuer community. The nationwide violence has lately resulted with famine, hyperinflation, and a loss of basic services in several parts of South Sudan.

Until now over three million people have fled the country amid new wave of violence that broke in the capital city last July. Eyewitnesses said 27 people were killed and over 35 others wounded in past four days when inter-communal fighting broke in Gogrial state.

It is said Apuk and Aguok community people clashed with each other over shared border issue and proliferation of arms among people led to the conflicts.