South Sudan's Council of Ministers in its regular sitting on Friday has passed a resolution approving establishment of cantonment areas for the forces of the armed opposition SPLA-IO in Greater Equatoria.

The council directed the Joint Monitoring and Ceasefire Committee (JMCC) to conduct surveys in greater Equatoria to identify the cantonments sites for the opposition forces under the leadership of the First Vice President Riek Machar.

The JMCC is expected to submit its report to the government in the coming days after the approval of the cantonment areas in greater Equatoria. However, the council of ministers resolution did not mention the status of the opposition forces in greater Bahr el Ghazal.

Juba government under the leadership of President Kiir is has been denying the presence of SPLA-IO forces in greater Bahr el Ghazal and greater Equatoria and did not want to allow cantonment sites there.

Speaking to journalists after the cabinet meeting, Michael Makuei Lueth, information minister, said the council has directed the JMCC to conduct survey in Equatoria region to identify the cantonment areas for the forces that have participated in the fighting.

File photo: President Salva Kiir