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South Sudan's army warned that government reports that a violent ethnic militia had disbanded appeared to be inaccurate.
"The forces of (former vice-president) Riek Machar are now advancing on Bor, but we are confident we will hold them off and protect the town," said army spokesman Philip Aguer.
It was not clear how many of the gunmen remained in the thick bush around Bor, but reconnaissance flights by the UN Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) had identified armed groups, although observers could not confirm the force's size.
The White Army rebels - loyal to Mr Machar, who the government says launched a failed coup attempt this month, but apparently not under his control - were seeking to retake control of a key town yesterday.
"There were heavy clashes at Gadiang, north of Bor," said Mr Aguer.
"The people in Bor are fearing an attack at any time."
The White Army gunmen are heavily armed - some carrying automatic rifles and others armed with rocket propelled grenades.
UN peacekeepers said they were concerned over the claims.
Regional leaders at the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development have set today as a deadline for face-to-face talks between President Salva Kiir and Mr Machar.
But Mr Machar, who was sacked as vice-president in July, has made demands including the release of his arrested political allies before committing to a truce.
Reports of massacres, rapes and killings nationwide have emerged on both sides of the conflict.
Rebels have taken over several regional cities in recent weeks, including Bentiu, in the northern Unity state, and Bor, which was later recaptured by the army.
There was also heavy fighting in the town of Malakal, state capital of Upper Nile, but the army says that it is back in full control.
The UN says 75,000 people have sought refuge in badly overstretched UN peacekeeper bases across the country, and over 180,000 are displaced across the country.
UN reinforcements began arriving in the country last week, the vanguard of 6,000 extra troops voted for by the UN security council, that will nearly double the size of the mission in the country.
