A military court in South Sudan has sentenced 10 soldiers to jail terms ranging from seven years to life for raping foreign aid workers and murdering a local journalist.

The court also ordered South Sudan's government to pay each rape survivor $4,000 (£3,000) in compensation.

The crimes were committed during a rampage in the British-owned Terrain Hotel in the capital, Juba, in 2016.

A UN report accused peacekeepers of failing to respond to pleas for help.

Thursday's judgment was delivered in a military courtroom packed with diplomats, aid workers and officials.

One accused soldier was acquitted. Another died in detention of natural causes.

The attack took place during heavy fighting in Juba between government and rebel forces.

More than 70 people, including two UN peacekeepers, were killed in three days of fighting.

At least five foreign aid workers were raped when troops stormed the hotel compound.

The court ordered the government to pay more than $2m in damages to the hotel's British owner, Mike Woodward, AFP news agency reports.

Source : BBC World