South Sudanese soldiers rest.

Wednesday 17th January 2018

The body that monitors South Sudan's shaky truce is blaming rebels for a Christmas Eve attack that killed 15 people and wounded 26 others.

The monitors, known as CTSAMM (Cease-fire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism), said Tuesday that rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar attacked the village of Koch in the former Unity State. It said three children were among those killed.

The report said monitors confirmed the details by talking to witnesses and a local rebel commander, who said the attack was in response to a cattle raid.

The monitors called the attack a "clear and blatant violation" of the cessation-of-hostilities agreement that South Sudan's government and rebel groups signed last month in Addis Ababa.

This story first appeared on Voice of America. Read more here.