South Sudan fighting despite ceasefire

South Sudan’s government and rebels traded accusations Sunday that each had breached a ceasefire deal by attacking the other, but insisted they were committed to ending weeks of brutal conflict.

January 26, 2014

Ahmad Al-Jubair





JUBA — South Sudan’s government and rebels traded accusations Sunday that each had breached a ceasefire deal by attacking the other, but insisted they were committed to ending weeks of brutal conflict. Both sides insist they were attacked and have responded only in self-defense. The ceasefire, aimed at stopping six weeks of bitter fighting in which thousands have died, began Friday evening with both sides reporting clashes as the deadline approached. Up to 10,000 people are believed to have been killed in the fighting pitting forces loyal to President Salva Kiir against a loose coalition of army defectors and ethnic militia nominally headed by sacked vice president Riek Machar, a seasoned guerrilla fighter. Rebel military spokesman Lul Ruai Koang reported Sunday “clear violations” of the ceasefire, claiming government forces had attacked rebel positions in the northern oil state of Unity and in the volatile eastern Jonglei region. “In all the government’s offensives, our forces only acted in self-defense,” he said in a statement. —AFP


January 26, 2014
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