The international rights group says in a report released Tuesday that South Sudanese government forces and allied militia fighters raped women, killed civilians as they fled into the bush, burnt villages and looted property during a months-long military offensive in Unity State earlier this year.
In the report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) describes what it calls shocking violence against civilians in the oil-rich state between April and June.
HRW says the alleged attacks on civilians could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.