James Hoth Mai. New Sudan Vision Wednesday, 19 January 2011

The chief of staff of the army says he expects SPLA troops to reach Bor soon.

Delegations for the government and the rebels have traveled to Ethiopia to attend peace talks in a bid to end three weeks of violence which have pushed the country on the brink of civil war.

Bor is controlled by rebels loyal to former Vice-President Riek Machar.

Earlier this week Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said that East African nations had agreed to move in and “defeat” rebel leader Machar if he rejected the government’s offer of a ceasefire.

‘‘Our forces are moving towards Bor so any time we will be in Bor because we don’t yet have a ceasefire and we don’t want them to come and get us so we have to go to them,’’ SPLA Chief of Staff James Hoth Mai told journalists yesterday.

The alleged coup attempt in Juba on 15th December has claimed at least 1,000 lives.

More than 180,000 people have been displaced, with many seeking refuge at United Nations compounds across the country.

Thousands of others are still fleeing to neighboring countries for safety.