South Sudan rebels have threatened to stall peace talks aimed at ending nearly two months of fighting, demanding the release of detainees and the withdrawal of foreign troops as officials said a new round had been postponed.
The talks between South Sudan's government and the rebels that were due to open on Monday in Ethiopia are aimed at building on a shaky ceasefire agreement and bringing about a comprehensive and durable solution by addressing the root causes of the conflict.
"The talks are not resuming today," South Sudan government spokesman Michael Makuei told AFP, without explaining the delay. A government official from host country Ethiopia confirmed the postponement.
Makuei said the talks were now set to begin on Tuesday afternoon.
"We are informed that his excellency the prime minister of Ethiopia wants to attend the opening session. We are told that it is tomorrow afternoon," Makuei said.
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South Sudan rebels demand the release of detainees and the withdrawal of foreign troops, the opposition said Monday.
"We are abstaining from participating in the next round of peace talks," Taban Deng, head of the opposition delegation, said in a statement.
Deng demanded the release of four detainees who remain in prison following the release of seven of their colleagues in late January.
He also called for the immediate withdrawal of Ugandan troops, who have been in the country at the request of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir since the conflict erupted on December 15.
