South Sudan President and his deputy call for cease fire

By Charles Etukuri and agencies

South Sudan's President Salva Kiira and his first deputy, Riek Machar were forced on Friday to jointly call for a cessation of hostilities following an outbreak of fighting at the Presidential Palace.

By press time details on the exact number of casualties and injuries were not yet known though most residents fled their homes for fear. Media reports however indicated five soldiers had died in clashes between rival factions.

Sources told the New Vision that fighting broke out after reports indicated that President wanted to arrest Machar.

James Gatdet Dak, Machar's spokesperson speaking on phone interview with the New Vision confirmed their soldiers had acted in self defence after Kiir's guards opened fire at them.

"They provoked us and shot at our position and we also responded," Gatdet said. He said the rumor that their leader (Machar) was about to be arrested further worsened the situation.

Earlier, the Sudan Tribune a local newspaper had reported, that Machar was called to President Kiir's office by the President for a Presidency meeting to discuss the clashes which occurred between their forces on Thursday evening.

But according to Gatdet, when Machar arrived at the Palace and as the meeting was about to start, heavy shooting started near the Palace.

Addressing the media, together with Kiir, Machar called for calm "All we want to tell the public now is that they should remain calm. This incident also will be controlled, and then measures will be taken so that peace it restored," Machar said.

The five soldiers were killed on Thursday in a clash that the media reports say started when a group of soldiers backing Kiir had stopped vehicles carrying Machar loyalists in Gudele, a district of Juba where Machar has his political base.

A spokesman for the opposition SPLA-IO, Colonel William Gatijiath Deng, said fighting began after Machar's forces refused to allow their vehicles to be searched.

Kiir told journalists at State House that talks with Machar and second vice president James Wani Igga had been to discuss "what we can do in the implementation of the agreement and how to build confidence among the civilian population".

Fighting erupted as the three leaders, Kiir, Machar and Wani were discussing this.

South Sudan which is the youngest country in Africa has been torn apart by internal wars that were recently fuelled after Kiir and Machar fell apart in 2014.

The fight led to the loss of thousands and the country's economy was wrecked.