The United Nations Security Council has condemned the eruption of hostilities between the government and the SPLM in Opposition in Unity and Upper Nile states.

In a statement, the Security Council says it is alarmed by the series of clashes in the two states between rival forces between the 26th of October and the 2nd of November.

“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms these acts that resulted in the death and injury of civilians, violated cessation of hostilities agreements, and demonstrated an absence of commitment by both sides to peace and the political process,” read the statement.

The Council says that the fighting violated the cessation of hostilities agreements and shows an absence of commitment to peace and political process by both sides.

The statement comes after a briefing of the Council by the head of UNMISS, Margrethe Loj.

The 15-member body says it is gravely concerned that the fighting took place near the UN camp hosting 49,000 internally displaced persons in the Unity State capital, Bentiu.

“These new hostilities are magnifying an already serious humanitarian crisis which has displaced a total of more than 1.8 million South Sudanese.”

The Council says that the renewed fighting is worsening an already serious humanitarian crisis.

The members demanded an immediate end to all violence, human rights violations and abuses, and violations of international humanitarian law.

The Council urged President Salva Kiir and Dr Riek Machar to reach an agreement through the ongoing IGAD efforts to find a political solution to the conflict.