The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Khartoum

Around 95 people have been killed in ethnic clashes in south Sudan that have also targeted equipment and facilities used in a historic nationwide census, local press reports said on Friday.

Clashes broke out on Tuesday in the southern Lakes State between two rival branches of the Dinka tribe after a dispute over cattle, the daily Al-Sahafa reported, adding that dozens were left dead in the streets.

Tribal clashes, often provoked by cattle theft, are frequent in southern Sudan but rarely reach such deadly intensity in the semi-autonomous part of Africa's largest country.

Martin Manil Wol, who is supervising the nationwide census, said the attackers torched all of the census facilities, including 12 boxes of questionnaire forms.

Sudan on Tuesday began its first census in 15 years, a milestone in the peace deal that ended Africa's longest civil war, but it has been overshadowed by disputes.

The two-week census is crucial to prepare constituencies for national elections and confirm or adjust the wealth- and power-sharing ratios in central government.