South Sudan armed opposition opts out of peace talks [The Morning Call]

South Sudan’s armed opposition faction allied to the country’s former first vice president Riek Machar has opted out of the ongoing peace talks in protest against what it described as continued attacks on the positions by the government.

This comes as South Sudanese rebels and government forces clashed around a town in the oil-producing northeast on Sunday and Monday with each side blaming the other for the violence that may complicate regional efforts to end a four-year civil war.

The army said it took full control of Nasir town on Monday after insurgents retreated. But rebel official Mabior Garang Mabior accused the government of launching an “all-out attack” to crush the opposition and undermine peace talks currently underway in neighboring Ethiopia.