Deadly battles between south Sudan's army and a renegade commander have killed 105 fighters and civilians, the military said, as the war-scarred region moves towards independence. The violence comes days after results of a referendum on secession confirmed south Sudan would declare independence in July, after decades of civil war that has claimed 2 million lives. The region's army said clashes at Fangak in Jonglei state on on Wednesday and Thursday had killed 50 fighters from both sides and 39 civilians, adding to the 16 casualties it reported earlier from earlier fighting in Door. "It was George Athor's men who came with machine guns, AK 47s and started firing," said south Sudan's army spokesman Philip Aguer. Athor was a former senior army officer who rebelled, accusing the south's ruling party of fraud during the April 2010 elections. He signed a ceasefire in January, after Juba declared an amnesty for all militia commanders. Athor blamed the southern army for starting the clashes in Jonglei state, where French oil giant Total had been due to begin exploration in April. But both sides said they were still open to talks.