South Sudan peace at risk, monitors say

The peace deal in South Sudan is at risk after the failure of rebel leader Riek Machar to return to the capital, Juba, the monitors who brokered the agreement have warned. He had been due on Monday to take up the post of first vice-president in a new unity government. This is a key part […]

The peace deal in South Sudan is at risk after the failure of rebel leader Riek Machar to return to the capital, Juba, the monitors who brokered the agreement have warned.
He had been due on Monday to take up the post of first vice-president in a new unity government.
This is a key part of the deal aimed at ending more than two years of conflict.
The US said it was disappointed by Mr Machar’s “wilful decision” not to abide by his own commitments.
His team said the delay was caused by logistical and administrative issues and that he planned to return on Wednesday.
A statement from the government on Tuesday had said Mr Machar’s return was delayed as “he wanted to come with an arsenal of arms… anti-tanks, laser guided missiles and heavy machine guns”.
Chairman of the regional monitors, Botswana’s former President Festus Mogae, urged both sides to “ensure that the spirit of reconciliation, compromise and dialogue embodied by the agreement” be protected.