South Sudan government and rebels sign ceasefire deal
Ceasefire deal to end five weeks of conflict that has left thousands dead is hailed by peace brokers, with Obama calling pact a 'critical first step'
South Sudan's government and rebels have signed a ceasefire agreement, pledging to halt fighting by today and end five weeks of bitter conflict that has left thousands dead.
The agreement was signed on Thursday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa by representatives of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and rebel delegates loyal to ousted vice-president Riek Machar, and was greeted by cheers from regional peace brokers and diplomats.
US President Barack Obama, whose country provided crucial backing on South Sudan's path to statehood, described the deal as "a critical first step toward building a lasting peace".
Mediators from the East African regional bloc IGAD, which has been brokering the talks, said the deal would put in place a verification and monitoring mechanism for the truce and allow unrestricted access to aid workers.
South Sudan's government also agreed to free 11 officials close to Machar who were detained after fighting between rival army units broke out on December 15.
The status of the detainees had been a major sticking point in the talks and Obama stressed that their participation would be "critical" to any future dialogue.
