South Sudan rebel leader says president should resign

South Sudan’s rebel leader, Riek Machar, says President Salva Kiir should step down, accusing Juba of attempting to sabotage the peace talks aimed at ending the violence in the country.

Machar, a former vice president, told Reuters on Friday that Kiir had lost the South Sudanese nation’s support, saying the president was involved in “ethnic cleansing” and “atrocities” in the capital, Juba.

“It would be best for Kiir to resign. We are due for elections in 2015. Before the elections, there would be an interim government,” said the former vice president.

The rebel leader also dismissed comments by South Sudanese Justice Minister Paulino Wanawilla Unago, who said earlier this week that Machar should face trial for treason and attempts to stage a coup against the government.

“I am not aware of why we should face those charges for an alleged coup that never happened,” Machar said, adding, “[it] is another attempt to stop peace talks.”

Machar also blamed the government forces for breaking a ceasefire deal signed between Juba and rebel forces on January 23 in an effort to end weeks of fierce fighting which led to the death of thousands of people in the world’s youngest nation.

South Sudan has been grappling with deadly fighting since December 15, 2013, when Kiir accused his sacked deputy, Machar, of attempting to stage a coup. The conflict soon turned into an all-out war between the army and defectors.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has demanded a full investigation into “horrendous” atrocities committed during weeks of conflict and ethnic killings in South Sudan.