South Sudan President Reappoints Rebel Leader as His Deputy
- Appointment is keystone of peace deal seeking to end civil war
- Machar says he hopes to return to capital within three weeks
This article is for subscribers only.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir reappointed rebel leader Riek Machar as his deputy, a key step in a deal to end a two-year civil war that’s killed tens of thousands of people in the oil-producing nation.
Kiir’s previous deputy, James Wani Igga, was moved to the post of second vice president and sworn in Friday in the capital, Juba. Machar served as Kiir’s deputy until he was fired in July 2013, five months before the conflict began. Under a peace accord signed in August, Machar will join the president in a 30-month transitional government, leading to new elections.