South Sudan agrees to ceasefire

The government of South Sudan agreed to an immediate ceasefire Friday, almost two weeks after deadly violence broke out in the world's youngest nation.

Mawien Makol Arik, a South Sudan foreign ministry spokesman, told Voice of America that the leader of the rebellion, Riek Machar, has three days to respond to the ceasefire. Machar had previously said he was willing to open negotiations with President Salva Kiir on the condition that Kiir first released key political allies detained by the government in the early days of the conflict.

Since December 15, fighting in the country has killed at least 1,000 people and has drawn an increasing United Nations peacekeeping effort to protect over 100,000 civilians who have become refugees.