South Sudan Government Agrees To End Hostilities

Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, outlines a multipoint plan for development in southern Sudan in the lead up to and after independence, in Juba, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011. Kiir had ... Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, outlines a multipoint plan for development in southern Sudan in the lead up to and after independence, in Juba, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011. Kiir had just returned from Khartoum where he attended the formal announcement of southern Sudan's referendum results. Southerners cast ballots for independence by margin of nearly 99 percent. The results signify that southern Sudan is set to become the world's newest country in July 2011. (AP Photo/Pete Muller) MORE LESS
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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Regional African leaders say South Sudan’s government has agreed to end hostilities.

East African leaders under a bloc called IGAD said in a statement Friday that they “welcomed the commitment by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to an immediate cessation of hostilities.”

The statement urged Riek Machar, the former deputy president who is accused of orchestrating a plot to overthrow President Salva Kiir, “to make similar commitments.”

The statement said IGAD opposes a violent change of government in the world’s newest country and urges Kiir and his rivals to start peace talks before the end of 2013.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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