Ethiopian Government Says Troops have Regained Control of S. Sudan Town

Amanda Casanova | ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor | Updated: May 05, 2014

Ethiopian Government Says Troops have Regained Control of S. Sudan Town

Government troops in Ethiopia captured back control of a town from rebels, a South Sudanese military spokesman said Monday.

The troops have recaptured Nasir and the capital of oil production, Bentiu. Some fighting is still going on around Bentiu.

It’s unknown how many have died in the fighting.

The rebel troops have fled near the Ethiopian border. Rebel leader Riek Machar, also the former vice president of the South Sudan, could be still inside the South Sudan. He is expected to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemarian Desalegn soon.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to meet with Machar too. He recently visited President Salva Kiir.

"The Americans are pushing us to go to Juba and form an interim government. We cannot go there without an agreement on a program first. We need to know who will be in that transitional government, in what capacity, for how long and issues like that," said the spokesman, Yohanis Musa Pouk.

Fighting started in December when Kiir “accused Machar of staging a coup.” Machar, on the other hand, has said he wants Kiir to step down from his position as president.

At least one million people have left their homes and thousands have been killed.

A peace deal signed earlier this year failed.

 

Publication date: May 5, 2014



Ethiopian Government Says Troops have Regained Control of S. Sudan Town