DHAKA: Clashes took place in the centre of South Sudan’s capital on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the country’s independence.

According to several separate sources in Juba, Friday’s fighting took place in the centre of Juba around the Presidential Palace, Al Jazeera reports on Saturday (July 9).

This is an area where several government ministries are located, as well as in the north of Juba in an area known as Tomping, not far from the airport and in the vicinity a major UN base.

From the Aron hotel in central Juba, just a few hundred yards away from the main government buildings, heavy gunfire and artillery rang constantly in the air between 5:20pm and 6:00pm local time.

However, later, helicopters circled overhead.

BDST: 1624 HRS, JUL 09, 2016
SAS/RR