South Sudan rebel leader jets back home for peace talks
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E-mail Xinhua, October 19, 2019
JUBA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's exiled rebel leader Riek Machar on Saturday jetted back to the country for another round of peace talks with President Salva Kiir.
Peter Manawa Gatkuoth, Head of Information of the SPLM-IO, told reporters at Juba International Airport that the opposition leader will spend two days in Juba where he is expected to discuss with president Kiir the pending issues of security arrangements and the number of states.
He said Machar will also hold talks with the visiting delegation of the UN Security Council that is expected to arrive in Juba on Sunday.
"As the SPLM-IO, we have it as a condition to complete the security agreements before the formation of the transitional government," Gatkuoth said.
"The visit is good because the Security Council is meeting the signatories here in Juba," he added.
Machar, leader of Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO), who is currently living in neighboring Sudan, made his third trip to Juba after he fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following renewed violence in July 2016.
Machar held a face-face meeting with President Salva Kiir last month where the two agreed to resolve pending issues that have dragged implementation of the peace deal.
There have been renewed calls for the parties to the deal to meet regularly in order to address issues of security arrangements and the number of states and boundaries before the November 12 deadline for the formation of a new transitional unity government.
South Sudan descended into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked Machar, leading to fighting between soldiers loyal to the two leaders leaders.
The conflict killed tens of thousands and displaced millions both internally and externally.
A peace deal signed in 2015 collapsed after the outbreak of renewed violence in July 2016, forcing Machar to flee the capital.
Under the 2018 peace deal, Machar will take up one of the four vice presidency positions in the transitional government. Enditem
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