12 February 2014 - Stressing the need to adhere to the ceasefire signed last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the start of South Sudan political talks between the government and opposition.

“The Secretary-General reiterates the importance of national political dialogue, with the participation of all South Sudanese political and civil society representatives, including all senior SPLM detainees,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

Talks between the South Sudanese government and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in opposition are taking place in the Ethiopian Ethiopian resort town of Debre Zeit under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Fighting broke out in South Sudan on 15 December 2013 in the capital Juba between the forces of President Salva Kiir and former deputy president Riek Machar, rapidly spreading to several other states.

Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and some 870,000 others have fled their homes, 145,000 of them to neighbouring countries and 75,000 to eight UN bases within the country.

The spokesperson added that the Secretary-General notes with deep concern reports of ongoing fighting and skirmishes in parts of Unity and Upper Nile states and urges the parties to fully implement the Agreements on Cessation of Hostilities and on the Status of Detainees signed on 23 January.

“The Secretary-General also calls on all parties to respect the lifesaving work and ensure unhindered freedom of movement of the UN Mission in South Sudan and of all humanitarian workers,” said the statement.

In addition, Mr. Ban condemned the use in the South Sudan conflict of cluster bombs, remnants of which were found last week by the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) on the Juba-Bor road in Jonglei State.

UNMAS has deployed a clearance team specialized in unexploded ordnance (UXO) to Bor. The team, which arrived on 5 February, was requested to ensure that compounds and buildings used by international stakeholders are free from explosive remnants of war and small arms ammunition.

The mission added in an update today that four UNMAS teams were traveling to Bentiu by road to clear unexploded remnants of war in the capital as well as other areas in northern Unity state. The teams have different capacities -- to clear UXOs, landmines, survey roads and provide risk education to affected population.