Juba, South Sudan: Intense battles resumed on Monday in South Sudan’s capital with tanks and helicopter gunships deployed and artillery fire heard in parts of the city.

Witnesses reported ‘very, very heavy fighting’ in Juba, with residents barricading themselves inside houses and aid workers holed up in bunkers while the US embassy warned of ‘serious fighting between government and opposition forces.’

The fighting that began again around 9:00 am (0600 GMT) was focussed on the same parts of the city as Sunday’s battles, in the west where the former rebels loyal to Vice-President Riek Machar have a base and in the centre close to the airport which has been closed to air traffic since Sunday.

At least two helicopter gunships were seen flying over the city towards Jebel in the west before attacking Machar’s base close to a UN camp to where thousands of uprooted civilians live.

Loud explosions believed to be tank fire were heard in the central Tongping neighbourhood.

An aid worker sheltering indoors said the fighting was intermittent but heavy, with ‘artillery, tanks and helicopters’ in use.