SOUTH SUDAN GOVERNMENT ACCUSES REBELS OF CEASEFIRE VIOLATION

IGAD bloc, rebel chief spokesman say
no clashes reported Saturday morning
The government in South Sudan
accused rebel troops of attacking its
forces in the northeastern town of
Malakal in violation of a ceasefire that
takes effect Saturday to end the 20-
month civil war.
It was impossible to verify the claim
independently.
Both the regional eight-nation IGAD
bloc that helped brokered the
ceasefire and a spokesman for rebel
chief Riek Machar earlier said no
clashes had been reported on
Saturday morning.
"The rebels yesterday attacked our
position in Malakal but they were
repulsed and this morning they again
attacked Malakal," said government
spokesman Michael Makuei.
"This is a violation of the cessation of
hostilities of the agreement and it
should be recorded."
Machar's spokesman, Nyarji Roman,
earlier Saturday said the former vice
president had ordered his rebel troops
to lay down their arms in line with the
ceasefire.
Machar's rival, President Salva Kiir,
had on Thursday ordered all
government troops to cease fighting
rebel forces as part of the agreement
to end the conflict, which has left tens
of thousands dead.
The peace accord gave a 72-hour
deadline for a permanent ceasefire,
which comes into effect around sunset
on Saturday.
Two powerful rebel generals, Peter
Gadet and Gathoth Gatkuoth, split from
Machar earlier this month, accusing
him of seeking power for himself. The
government has said the split is a key
reason they doubt the peace deal can
be effective.
Fighting erupted in December 2013
when Kiir accused Machar of planning
a coup, unleashing a wave of killings
that split the country along ethnic
lines.
At least seven ceasefires have already
been agreed and then shattered within
days or even hours. Over two million
people have fled their homes from a
war marked by ethnic killings, gang
rapes and child soldier recruitment.
Some 200,000 terrified civilians are
sheltering inside UN bases.
Under the peace deal, a "transitional
government of national unity" will take
office within three months.