(8 Jan 2014) A member of ex-South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar's opposition said negotiations for peace talks were underway in Ethiopia on Wednesday, but are still in the early stages.
Meanwhile in South Sudan's capital, an army spokesperson said fighting is still ongoing in the country, especially around the cities of Bor and Bentiu.
"We have started the negotiations and we are on the agenda stage," said Mabior Garang de Mabior, son of former President John Garang de Mabior and ally of former Vice President Riek Machar.
He also called the detention of political prisoners "erroneous", but that he had faith in President Salva Kiir's government to "do the right thing".
However, despite signs of talks in Ethiopia getting underway, fighting remains fierce in areas of South Sudan.
At a news conference in Juba, Philip Aguer, a spokesman for the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) said: "Fighting has been ongoing around Bor and around Bentiu, between Bentiu and Mayom, these are the areas of concentrated fighting."
"If there is any conclusion of the fighting in those areas, we will let you know," he added.
South Sudan has experience violence since a power struggle between Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar, who was fired in July, broke out into massive violence just over three weeks ago.
Peace talks between the different factions have consistently stalled despite efforts by the African bloc of nations, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to broker a deal in neighbouring Ethiopia.
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