South Sudan’s president has granted amnesty to armed opposition leader Riek Machar and all rebel groups days after signing a power-sharing agreement in the latest effort to end a five-year civil war.
The South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation reported the announcement by President Salva Kiir.
As part of the power-sharing deal, Kiir will remain president and Machar will return to the country as the first vice president, one of five vice presidents.
A similar agreement fell apart in July 2016 as fighting erupted and Machar fled the country
South Sudan’s government insists things will be different this time, with government spokesperson Michael Makuei saying last week that Machar has “learned the hard way.”
Machar’s troops are expected to go to cantonment sites for training to be unified with the government army.
