South Sudan rebels accuse government troops of violating ceasefire

Rebel forces in South Sudan accused the government on Saturday of breaking a ceasefire deal just hours after both sides pledged to stop fighting and bring their months-long conflict to an end.Fighting erupted last December in South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, after months of political tension between President Salva Kiir and his sacked deputy, Riek Machar.Taban Deng Gai, chief negotiator for the rebels, said in a statement that government troops "advanced from Bentiu and Pariang and attacked our positions at Tor and Hofra in Unity state."Unity is the country's oil-hub province and the scene of clashes late last month. Neither the South Sudanese government nor the mediators from regional bloc IGAD were available immediately to comment.