South Sudan's Kiir wins regional backing, rebels driven from town

NAIROBI/JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan's neighbours threw their weight behind President Salva Kiir on Friday in an ethnic-based conflict ravaging the world's newest state, saying they would not accept any bid to overthrow his democratically elected government.

Kiir also received a boost in Malakal, capital of South Sudan's major oil producing state of Upper Nile, where government forces defeated rebels loyal to Kiir's former deputy Riek Machar after four days of intense fighting.