Juba, Jun 14 (IANS): Inter-communal clashes have left 13 people killed and 16 others injured in South Sudan's restive region of Lakes state, local police said.

Elijah Mabor Makuach, police spokesperson in the state, said on Sunday they have deployed soldiers to restore calm following fighting which started on Saturday between the Gony and Theyieth communities.

"The fighting started on Saturday morning leading to 13 people killed and 16 wounded. The situation is now calm following the deployment of security forces," Makuach told Xinhua news agency.

He disclosed that the two communities have for a decade been fighting each other.

The violence is often characterized by cattle raiding and revenge killings.

Lakes state is awash with illegal guns in the hands of the civil population.

Several attempts by state authorities to disarm civilians have not borne fruits, leading to casualties on both civilians and soldiers.

"The main challenge facing us in the state is the presence of arms in the hands of civilians; there are arms everywhere in lakes state. Civilians are in possession of arms in villages and cattle camps," said Makuach.

President Salva Kiir last week appointed former head of military intelligence Rin Tueny Mabor as governor of Lakes State, replacing Makur Kulang, following a rise in communal violence and armed attacks on aid workers.