S. Sudan foes to withdraw forces:

Africa

South Sudan’s government and rebels agreed 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. (AFP)

The Ministry of Transport estimates that 1,500 people die in road accidents each year. (AP)

9 dead in Somali attack: A least nine people were killed in an attack on Somalia’s interior ministry and security forces continued to battle gunmen inside, police said Saturday, as the al-Shebab extremist group claimed responsibility.

Gunfire could be heard amid reports that a number of people, mostly government workers, were trapped in the ministry on what had been a normal business day.

More than 10 people were wounded and the death toll could rise, Col. Ahmed Mohamed said. Witnesses said some ministry staffers died or were injured while leaping from windows or walls in an effort to escape.

Meanwhile, at least 13 people were wounded on Saturday in a suicide car bombing near Somalia’s presidential palace and another blast outside a police station close by in the capital, the emergency services said.

“In the first phase, we carried 13 injured people from near the two blast scenes,” Abdikadir

Kiir

Saraki