12/20/2012 14:45 GMT
JUBA, South Sudan, Dec 20, 2012 (AFP) - Riots that rocked the South Sudanese town of Wau killed at least 12 people, a hospital doctor said Thursday, revising the previous day's toll of four dead.
"They were 12, those were the ones reported to the area hospitals," with bodies showing "various injuries", Marial Khoc, a doctor at Wau's military hospital told AFP.
A spokesman for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said thousands of people were still sheltering at their base a day after the deadly unrest.
"We still have thousands of civilians at our base being provided safety," said UNMISS spokesman Liam McDowall.
The UN on Wednesday said patrols had "observed a number of fires, as well as groups of youths up to 300-strong, some of whom possessed sticks, spears and machetes".
South Sudan government spokesman Marial Benjamin told reporters that the government was bringing in reinforcements from Rumbek, the capital of the neighbouring Lake State.
"The government has contained the situation by bringing in more police from Rumbek," Benjamin told reporters in Juba on Thursday.
The town has been rocked by violence and protests that began last week after officials said they would move the seat of local government out of Wau to the smaller settlement of Bagare nearby.
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