Pretoria, May 15, 2018 (SSNA) — South Sudanese rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar met with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) delegation on Tuesday in South Africa to discuss peace-related issues, a senior rebel official said.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition’s (SPLM-IO) National Committee for information and public relations chairman, Mabior Garang Mabior, said rebel leader Machar discussed progress and challenges in the HLRF talks. He added that the armed opposition position on peace has been submitted to IGAD.
Mabior disclosed that the SPLM-IO wants IGAD to review its relocation decision it issued in its 61st extra-ordinary session in March, saying the East African regional bloc should unconditionally release the SPLM/A-IO leader instead of simply changing location of his detainment.
On March 25, IGAD issued a communique, stating it had decided to lift the rebel leader house arrest and relocate him to any country outside the East African region. South Sudan’s described the move as “change of location of Machar house arrest” and accused some IGAD’s countries of working for Salva kiir’s regime.
A senior rebel official close to the SPLM/A-IO chairman told the South Sudan News Agency that Dr. Machar also met with a United Nations delegation on the same. The official, however, declined to give details about Machar and UN team meeting.