JUBA: The United Nations on Sunday said it was “extremely concerned” over claims that thousands of armed youths allied to ex-vice president Riek Machar were readying to attack in South Sudan, amid international efforts to broker a ceasefire.

Juba has claimed that Machar, the de facto leader of rebels fighting the government, has recruited up to 25,000 young fighters from his Nuer tribe in the eastern state of Jonglei and that they are “ready to attack any time”.

According to Jonglei’s acting governor, the Nuer fighters were around 110 kilometres from the state capital of Bor, currently under the control of government forces.

“The information is that they want to come and attack Bor but I am sure they will not attempt to do it because the SPLA (Sudanese army) forces will repulse them back,” Chan said.“Now the army are taking position.” Rebel spokesman Moses Ruai Lat said Machar was “not mobilising his tribe”, the second biggest ethnic group in South Sudan, describing the men instead as regular soldiers who had rejected the government and were not specifically drafted by Machar.—AFP