Crazed civilians are drowning as they flee a fresh eruption of fighting in South Sudan and perhaps hundreds have died in the attacks, the United Nations said on Thursday.Initial reports describe unimaginable scenes of Adidiang (town) burnt down, humanitarian structures established just two weeks ago destroyed and civilians fleeing the fighting by canoes and boats, leading to the drowning of several people, the police said. UN peacekeeping mission in a statement.South Sudan has been grappling with violence between armed groups since the end of the civil war in 2018. Thousands of people have been displaced since mid-August by fighting in and around the city of Tonga in the state of the Upper Nile.On Wednesday, fighting broke out near Adidiang, where thousands of displaced people had taken refuge.According to unconfirmed reports, nearly 300 people were killed in the attacks, the UN said.This type of violence, in an area hosting displaced civilians, is unacceptable, said the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Sara Beysolow Nyanti.According to an internal UN report seen by The Associated Press, the field office in Malakal town received a report on Wednesday afternoon that the White Army, an armed group, had attacked the IDP camp. in Adidiang and the fighting continued.It is unclear what led to the attack.A rescue mission was immediately dispatched,” the UN report said.But he said more than 100 people had drowned.All partners are in a race against time to save those at risk of drowning in their haste to flee the violence, the UN public statement said.The Danish Refugee Council said it had tried to get to the scene but was unable to.Yesterday, on the way to Adidiang to assess the situation and verify the number of people there, our team was asked to return to Malakal, country director Alana Mascoll told the AP in an email.They reported large movements of civilians on the river towards Malakal.There were canoes and larger boats with people heading towards camp.She said concerns are particularly strong for unaccompanied children, the elderly and people with disabilities, as the three-day journey is particularly difficult for them.As traumatized civilians begin to arrive in Malakal, humanitarian partners estimate that up to 5,000 people could arrive in the coming hours and days,” the UN said.But fighting took place even in the Malakal IDP camp on Wednesday night, he added, saying the violence was contained but concerns remained about spreading tensions.The White Army is loyal to General Gatwich Dual, leader of the SPLM-IO Kitgwang armed group and former Chief of Staff to former opposition fighter and current Vice President Riek Machar.The White Army is believed to be fighting Agwelek forces loyal to General Johnson Olony, a former senior army officer under Machar.Upper Nile State Information Minister Luke Sadallah blamed the fighting on SPLM-IO Kitgwang splinter groups and called on them to stop their confrontation and stop harming civilians.There is no advantage in this battle, Sadallah told the AP by phone.