ADDIS ABABA
Leaders of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states will meet in Addis Ababa on Thursday to discuss the situation in South Sudan, a source close the East African trade bloc said Thursday.
According to the source, leaders will discuss means of implementing previous agreements reached by South Sudan's warring rivals.
The summit is also expected to discuss the deployment of peacekeeping forces to South Sudan and whether IGAD, African Union or U.N. forces should be employed for the mission, the source said.
Africa's youngest country has been shaken by violence since last December, when President Salva Kiir accused his sacked vice president, Riek Machar, of standing behind a failed coup attempt.
The violence has already claimed more than 10,000 lives. The UN estimates that some 3.7 million South Sudanese are "severely food insecure," while more than 867,000 have been displaced by the violence.
Following a month-long first round of talks in Addis Ababa, the two sides signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in January.
A second round of talks wrapped up earlier this week after both sides agreed to a 20-day recess.
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