(VOVworld) – On Thursday, South Sudan’s Parliament unanimously approved a peace deal agreed last month by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar. The world’s newest country has been ravaged by war since December 2013, when soldiers loyal to President Kiir clashed with troops loyal to his former deputy Machar in the South Sudanese capital of Juba.
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South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir (seated) signs a peace agreement in South Sudan’s capital Juba, August 26, 2015 (Photo: Reuters)
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Kiir signed the deal on August 27th, but complained about the details and said he had faced intimidation from other nations prior to signing. Sporadic fighting has continued since then, with both sides blaming each other for ceasefire violations. The clashes have prompted the UN Security Council to warn both sides that it could impose sanctions if the August deal collapses.