South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has ordered the army to halt all military operations, ahead of a full cease-fire that goes into effect Saturday.

A presidential decree issued late Thursday also tells the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to stay in their current positions and fire “only in self-defense when attacked.”

On Wednesday, Kiir signed a peace agreement with rebel forces in Juba, a week after rebel leader Riek Machar signed the agreement in Addis Ababa.

President Kiir has expressed reservations about the deal, raising fears the cease-fire may not hold.  However, there was no reported fighting in the country on Friday.

On Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council threatened sanctions against South Sudan if Kiir failed to sign the agreement.

The deal follows months of negotiations hosted by Ethiopia and several broken cease-fire agreements.

South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, winning independence from Sudan in 2011.  Fighting between government forces and Machar’s rebels broke out in December 2013 and has been especially brutal on civilians.

Thousands have been killed and about 2.2 million driven from their homes.  Millions are in desperate need of food.

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Source: VOA News: Economy and Finance