JUBA // Anti-government rebels in South Sudan took control of nearly all of a strategic city on Tuesday even as officials announced that representatives from the government and the rebels agreed to hold talks for the first time.
The announcement that talks would soon take place in neighbouring Ethiopia was the first political breakthrough since ethnically-based violence began coursing through South Sudan late on December 15. The violence has killed more than 1,000 people — a number that is believed to be a low estimate — and has seen the country’s two most powerful ethnic groups fight each other.
The United States envoy to the region, Donald Booth, met with the South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, on Tuesday — their fourth meeting in eight days — and spoke on the phone with the former vice president, Riek Machar, who is accused by the government of having tried to carry out a coup, a charge he denies.
Mr Booth said that the commitment to meet by the two sides was a “first step but very important step” toward achieving a cessation of hostilities and substantive talks to resolve the underlying political issues that could bring a halt to the violence.
Earlier in the day, heavy fighting erupted in Bor, the contested provincial capital of Jonglei state, which is a short drive from the capital, Juba. Government troops battled renegade forces loyal to Mr Machar including the Nuer tribal militia known as the “White Army,” said a military spokesman, Col Philip Aguer.
South Sudan’s government had been warning of a looming battle for Bor, at one point saying 25,000 armed youths were moving toward the city. That number was later lowered but enough forces converged on Tuesday to take control of most or all of the city, said a senior US official.
A pro-Machar commander who defected from South Sudan’s military, Peter Gadet, mobilised “elements of the White Army” in a bid to retake the town, according to Col Aguer. The White Army is so named because of the ash fighters put on their body to protect themselves from insects.
The recapturing of Bor, which is only about 120 kilometres from South Sudan’s capital, Juba, could give Mr Machar an upper hand at the negotiating table.
On Monday, the Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, warned Mr Machar to report to the negotiating table, or “we shall have to go for him, all of us.” Ugandan troops and several of their attack helicopters are already in South Sudan assisting the military, and international officials do not want to see more countries become involved in the warfare.
* Associated Press
