South Sudan rivals agree to withdraw forces from ‘urban areas’
KHARTOUM: South Sudan’s government and rebels agreed Friday to withdraw troops from urban areas, a Sudanese official said, as they signed a security deal aimed at ending a four-and-a-half year war.
“All parties have agreed to withdraw military troops from urban areas as part of the security agreement,” Sudanese chief of military intelligence Jamal Omar said at the signing ceremony in Khartoum.
The agreement comes days after South Sudanese arch-foes President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed a permanent ceasefire, raising hopes of an end to the conflict that has devastated the world’s youngest country.
Friday’s deal in the latest round of peace talks hosted by neighbouring Khartoum was signed at Sudan’s defence ministry and attended by Machar, South Sudanese government officials and journalists.
Omar said a security committee would also be set up to monitor the implementation of the deal, which allows the opening of humanitarian corridors to deliver aid.
“The security deal stipulates that there will be no military presence in civilian areas including churches, villages, schools and camps,” he said, adding that a programme will be launched to collect all long and medium-range heavy weapons.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dierdiry Ahmed said the warring factions have also agreed to immediately free detainees and prisoners of wars.
“It’s time for our brothers to put down their weapons,” Ahmed said at the ceremony.
He told AFP that the rival groups have also entered talks on power-sharing, the details of which would be discussed on Saturday in Kampala at a summit between Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Kiir and their Sudanese counterpart President Omar al-Bashir. — AFP