South Sudan govt, rebels set to sign ceasefire agreement

Eurasia News

ADDIS ABABA: A month-long deadly conflict in South Sudan is about to come to an end as the government and the rebels will sign a ceasefire agreement on Thursday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The development came after peace talks were held between the two sides in Addis Ababa during which the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-country trading bloc in Eastern Africa, played its role as a mediator.

During the peace talks the two sides resolved differences including the issue of political detainees that has been the main sticking point in the talks.

The fighting broke out in South Sudan on December 15, 2013 after the president Salva Kiir accused a group of disgruntled soldiers and politicians led by Riek Machar of attempting to overthrow the government in the capital Juba.

Since then, up to 10,000 people have been killed, while another half million have been forced to leave their homes as a result of the violence.