United Nations, July 16 (RHC)-- The United Nations says that three-quarters of South Sudan’s population is in need of humanitarian aid following several days of internal conflict. The director of the UN’s World Food Program, Etharin Cousin said: "This latest conflict is going to push even more people into hunger and despair."

Fighting broke out in the capital city last week, when troops loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir clashed with the Vice President Riek Machar’s forces. Now Kiir issued directives for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and Machar called on his loyalists to observe the ceasefire.

The World Food Program director said heavy fighting had forced the humanitarian staff to take shelter in underground bunkers, "because the shelling was in Juba and so close to our places of operation.”

Earlier, the UN announced that at least 36,000 people have been displaced since fresh heavy fighting erupted in the country’s capital. Thousands of people have been killed and more than three million forced to flee their homes in the conflict that started in December 2013, when President Kiir sacked Machar, his former deputy, only two years after the country seceded from Sudan.