South Sudan rivals agree peace deal

South Sudan's two rival leaders have signed a ceasefire deal, following international pressure to avert famine and genocide.

President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar met face-to-face on Friday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for the first time since mass violence broke out in December.

After a signing ceremony in the city's presidential palace, Kiir said: "Now we have come to our senses...dialogue is the only answer to whatever problem we had. We will continue to move in the right direction." 

White House National Security Advisor Susan E Rice welcomed the development. In a statement issued on Friday evening, she said that fighting in South Sudan had "robbed the country of hope and denied its people the peace and prosperity they deserve". 

"We urge President Kiir and Mr. Machar to move swiftly to honor the agreement in word and deed by ending the violence and negotiating in good faith to reach a political agreement that can ensure stability, prosperity and peace for all of South Sudan’s people."

A UN report released on Thursday said that "widespread and systematic" atrocities had been carried out by both sides in homes, hospitals, mosques, churches and UN compounds.

It called for those responsible to be held accountable.

An estimated five million people are in need of aid, the UN says.

A cessation of hostilities deal was signed by both sides in January but failed to bring an end to the violence.

The violence began when President Kiir accused his sacked deputy Machar, of plotting a coup.

Machar denied the allegation, but then marshalled a rebel army to fight the government.

The battle assumed ethnic overtones, with Mr Machar relying heavily on fighters from his Nuer ethnic group and Mr Kiir from his Dinka community.

The UN has about 8,500 peacekeepers in South Sudan. However, they have struggled to contain the conflict.

South Sudan gained independence in 2011, breaking away from Sudan after decades of conflict between rebels and the Khartoum government.