South Sudan Government and Rebels signed Ceasefire Agreement to end fighting

The Government of South Sudan and rebels have signed a ceasefire agreement on 23 January 2014. The ceasefire deal between the two sides on cessation of hostilities and question of the detainees took place in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian Capital. The deal has asked to end fighting within 24 hours.

As per the deal, the government has agreed to release 11 officials close to Machar, who were detained after the fighting broke in the country. Any timeline has not fixed for the release of the detainees. The second agreement covers the cessation of hostilities.

Earlier, the government forces recaptured the two main cities under the control of rebels that forced more than 500000 people from their homes during a month-long conflict. With this signing it is expected that the country will achieve a complete peace. This signing of the deal has been welcomed by US calling it a critical first step. UK said it as an inclusive process if national reconciliation.

Background: Political dispute between Salva Kiir, the President and his former deputy Riek Machar on 15 December 2013 escalated ethnic killings and full scale in the country. Till now more than 70000 civilians are seeking shelter at the UN bases across South Sudan. The estimates of UN say that more than 1000 people have been killed in the ethnic killings.