New peace talks begin on South Sudan’s war as pressure grows

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – A new round of peace talks on South Sudan’s civil war has begun as regional powers seek a solution to a five-year conflict that has caused Africa’s largest refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Monday’s talks in Ethiopia come days after the United States announced an arms embargo on South Sudan and urged further punitive measures. The U.S. special adviser on South Sudan, Paul Sutphin, says the arms embargo “makes clear our intents and we also hope will inspire others to take similar steps.”

Impatience is growing with South Sudan’s government and rebels, who have blamed each other for violating a Dec. 24 cease-fire within hours.

Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict, 2.5 million have fled the country and roughly 1.5 million are near famine.