Machar denies deal on unified South Sudan forces

Machar denies deal on unified South Sudan forces JUBA – South Sudan’s First Vice-President Riek Mach- ar has rejected government claims that he and President Salva Kiir had struck a deal on the unification of their forces. Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro on Sun- day said the two had reached an agreement for a joint force which was critical for the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement. Machar’s office in a state- ment termed the announce- ment as “false” adding that “the issue remains unre- solved.” The minister had said the two leaders had agreed that the president’s party takes 60 percent share of the uni- fied forces with the remain- ing share being divided be- tween Machar’s party and other opposition parties. Machar’s office said pre- vious talks had proposed an equal share between Pres- ident’s Kiir’s party and his side while another proposal called for a 50:45 sharing. President Kiir and Machar formed a unity government in February last year and agreed, as part of a revital- ised peace deal, to form a unified national army of 83, 000 forces. Meanwhile, the govern- ments of Uganda and South Sudan have agreed to patrol the Nimule-Juba highway where drivers and travellers have recently been attacked. The agreement comes af- ter lorry drivers were killed and bus travellers injured by unknown militia. Uganda’s First Depu- ty Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga said there will be po- lice checks every 10km along the route. South Sudan, which is re- covering from a brutal civil war, is heavily dependent on its neighbours for essential supplies. – BBC.