JUBA
Thousands of South Sudanese rallied Monday in capital Juba in a show of support for President Salva Kiir, denouncing rebel demands for early elections and a transitional government.
"We took to the streets to voice support for the legitimacy of the country's elected president," Deng Hamad, spokesman for a youth coalition that brings together young members of the country's political parties, told Anadolu Agency.
"We, the youth, want to express our full support for our president; we reject any talk of a transitional government without the current president," he said.
The march passed through the city's main streets to the memorial of John Garang, widely considered a founding father of the nascent nation.
South Sudan has been shaken by violence since mid-December, when Kiir accused sacked vice president Riek Machar of standing behind a failed coup attempt against his regime.
The conflict has already claimed more than 10,000 lives, while the UN estimates that some 3.7 million people in South Sudan are now "severely food insecure" and more than 820,000 have been displaced.
Following a month-long, IGAD-sponsored first round of talks in Addis Ababa, the warring rivals signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in January.
By Atem Simon
englishnews@aa.com.tr
