South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said Wednesday that a six-month delay agreed with his rivals for the formation of a unity government was not enough time to resolve outstanding issues.

South Sudan's rival parties began two days of talks in Addis Ababa on Thursday in a bid to salvage a peace deal, with just days left before a unity government is meant to be formed.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has hired an American lobby group run by a former ambassador to block the creation of a court to judge war crimes in the conflict-torn nation.

Pope Francis on Sunday urged world leaders to try again to bring peace to Libya and in Syria where millions of refugees and people displaced by conflict should be helped to return home. In his traditional Easter Sunday address to the faithful at the Vatican, where some 70,000 were gathered in Saint Peter's square, the…

South Sudan opposition leader Riek Machar is not ready to return to Juba and wants to postpone the formation of a unity government until security issues are resolved, an official from his party said Wednesday.

South Sudan's warring rivals President Salva Kiir and rebel leader and former vice president Riek Machar will attend a retreat at the Vatican this week "to work for a future of peace", the Holy See said.

The "leaders of South Sudan" are to visit the Vatican next week, a spokesman said Wednesday.

A long-time critic of South Sudan President Salva Kiir returned to Juba on Thursday to help speed up implementation of a peace deal that is running several months behind schedule.

A military court on Monday began hearing the trial of an army general charged with treason for allegedly plotting a rebellion against President Salva Kiir's government.

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar will return to the capital Juba this week to take part in a peace ceremony, a spokesman said Tuesday.

South Sudan rebel chief Riek Machar on Tuesday refused to sign a final peace deal with the government that aims to end a brutal civil war, a Sudanese mediator said.

South Sudanese arch-foes signed a final power-sharing deal Sunday as President Salva Kiir called for unity in a country torn by a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people.