24 Jul 2011

Rebel leader killed

11:19 am on 24 July 2011

A rebel leader in South Sudan who signed a peace deal with the government earlier this week, has been killed.

South Sudan became independent on 9 July, but is facing at least half a dozen armed rebellions.

Colonel Gatluak Gai was shot in the early hours of Saturday morning, in or near the district of Pakur in Unity State.

A fellow rebel told the BBC he had been lured into a trap by the army, which then assassinated him.

The army denies this. A spokesman said Col Gai had been killed in a fight with his deputy, after he had changed his mind about the peace agreement.