South Sudan's rebel leader declares permanent cease-fire

 South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar has declared a permanent cease-fire and ordered all his forces to fully commit to it as of Saturday midnight.

"All forces are to remain alert in their current positions and to act only on self-defense or respond upon aggression," Machar said in a statement issued late Friday.

On Thursday, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit also declared that a permanent cease-fire with rebels would become effect as of Saturday midnight, ordering the army to stop military activities in the entire country against armed forces loyal to Machar.

According to South Sudanese local media, Kiir on Thursday evening directed the minister of defense, Kuol Manyang Juuk, and the chief of general staff of the government forces, Paul Malong Awan, to ensure the cease-fire come into effect.

He further ordered them to work with other stakeholders to provide an effective monitoring mechanism which should be observed by all involved parties.

South Sudan's army and the rebels have earlier exchanged accusations of launching military attacks against each other despite the signed peace deal.

Last week, Machar signed a peace deal proposed by the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development in Africa (IGAD) with the secretary general of the ruling party, Pagan Amum, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while President Kiir signed the deal in Juba on Wednesday, but warned that it could collapse.

IGAD's peace document granted the current government a majority in the legislature, the position of president and 53 percent of ministerial portfolios.

It further proposed for the rebels a new position of first vice-president and 33 percent of ministerial portfolios, while the remaining 14 percent was allotted to other opposition groups.

However, with regard to the major war-affected areas of the Greater Upper Nile region -- Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity States -- the document suggested that 53 percent of th area go to the rebels and 33 to the current government.

Juba rejected the power shares in the three areas as they are the major oil-producing states in South Sudan.

South Sudan plunged into violence in December 2013 when fighting erupted between troops loyal to President Kiir and defectors led by his former deputy Machar.

The conflict soon turned into an all-out war, with the violence taking on an ethnic dimension. The clashes killed thousands of South Sudanese and forced around 1.9 million to flee their homes.

Source: XINHUA