South Sudan's army says at least 69 people have died in clashes between the army and rebel militia members over the past two days. A spokesman for the southern Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army said the heavy fighting began on Thursday in the oil producing states of Unity and Upper Nile. Fighting has increased in southern Sudan in recent weeks, raising concerns about the region's stability as the south prepares for independence from the north in July. The south's ruling party has accused Khartoum of training and arming militias to destabilize south Sudan and oust the region's leaders before secession. The north's ruling National Congress party has dismissed the claims as baseless.