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| South Sudan's warring parties agree ceasefire in bid to end four-year war | South Sudan's warring parties agree ceasefire in bid to end four-year war |
| (25 days later) | |
| The deal, which begins on Sunday, was signed by government forces, and several armed opposition groups | |
| Agence France-Presse in Juba | |
| Sat 23 Dec 2017 23.09 GMT | |
| Last modified on Sat 23 Dec 2017 23.28 GMT | |
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| A ceasefire between South Sudan’s warring parties will begin at midnight on Sunday, in the latest bid to end a devastating four year war. | A ceasefire between South Sudan’s warring parties will begin at midnight on Sunday, in the latest bid to end a devastating four year war. |
| Government and several armed groups signed a ceasefire deal on Thursday during peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, to begin from 00:01 hours (local time) on 24 December. | Government and several armed groups signed a ceasefire deal on Thursday during peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, to begin from 00:01 hours (local time) on 24 December. |
| The agreement says all forces should “immediately freeze in their locations”, halt actions that could lead to confrontation and release political detainees, as well as abducted women and children. | The agreement says all forces should “immediately freeze in their locations”, halt actions that could lead to confrontation and release political detainees, as well as abducted women and children. |
| Riek Machar, the former vice-president whose falling out with President Salva Kiir started the conflict in December 2013, has ordered his rebel forces to “cease all hostilities”. | Riek Machar, the former vice-president whose falling out with President Salva Kiir started the conflict in December 2013, has ordered his rebel forces to “cease all hostilities”. |
| In a statement released on Friday, he said all forces should “remain in their bases and to act only in self defence or against any aggression”. | In a statement released on Friday, he said all forces should “remain in their bases and to act only in self defence or against any aggression”. |
| South Sudan’s leaders fought for decades for independence, but, after achieving it in 2011, a power struggle between Kiir and Machar led to all-out civil war two years later. | South Sudan’s leaders fought for decades for independence, but, after achieving it in 2011, a power struggle between Kiir and Machar led to all-out civil war two years later. |
| A peace deal was signed in 2015, but it collapsed in July 2016 when fresh fighting in the capital Juba forced then first vice-president Machar into exile. | A peace deal was signed in 2015, but it collapsed in July 2016 when fresh fighting in the capital Juba forced then first vice-president Machar into exile. |
| The opposition split, with Taban Deng taking over as first vice-president, while Machar’s faction returned to battling the government in the bush. | The opposition split, with Taban Deng taking over as first vice-president, while Machar’s faction returned to battling the government in the bush. |
| While the initial fighting pitted Kiir’s ethnic Dinka against Machar’s Nuer, the renewed violence has developed with new armed opposition groups forming. | While the initial fighting pitted Kiir’s ethnic Dinka against Machar’s Nuer, the renewed violence has developed with new armed opposition groups forming. |
| Violence spread to the southern region of Equatoria, forcing more than a million South Sudanese to flock to neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in what has become the biggest refugee crisis on the continent. | Violence spread to the southern region of Equatoria, forcing more than a million South Sudanese to flock to neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in what has become the biggest refugee crisis on the continent. |
| The latest round of peace talks, which the United Nations described as a “last chance” for peace in the country was pushed by the regional IGAD bloc as a revitalisation of the 2015 deal. | The latest round of peace talks, which the United Nations described as a “last chance” for peace in the country was pushed by the regional IGAD bloc as a revitalisation of the 2015 deal. |
| In addition to Kiir’s government and Machar’s SPLM-IO, this round of peace talks also includes half a dozen armed opposition groups that have sprung up since July. | In addition to Kiir’s government and Machar’s SPLM-IO, this round of peace talks also includes half a dozen armed opposition groups that have sprung up since July. |
| A permanent ceasefire is the first step in negotiations to include a “revised and realistic” timeline to holding elections. | A permanent ceasefire is the first step in negotiations to include a “revised and realistic” timeline to holding elections. |
| The initial peace deal planned for elections in August 2018 – a date seen as unfeasible by many observers. | The initial peace deal planned for elections in August 2018 – a date seen as unfeasible by many observers. |
| South Sudan | |
| Africa | |
| Refugees | |
| Famine | |
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