South Sudan opposition leader Riek Machar this morning left Sudan for Ethiopia to attend UN meetings, the opposition group said.

Pouk Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO’s director for information, told Radio Tamazuj this afternoon that Machar has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he will be attending meetings called for by the United Nations on Monday.

"Dr. Machar has travelled to Addis Ababa to meet with the UN's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SVC), Pramila Patten,” he said.

Machar visited Ethiopia in response to the invitation extended to him by the senior UN official, according to Pouk.

Pouk pointed out that the opposition leader was accompanied by a high-level delegation to participate in meetings on sexual violence in conflict. “Ethiopia and Sudan allowed Machar to travel to Addis Ababa after the invitation extended to him by Ms. Pramila Patten,” he said.

“The meetings in Addis Ababa will last for several days. Dr. Machar will return to Khartoum after the meetings,” he added.

 Machar, who under the terms of the peace deal is to be reinstated as first vice president, resides in neighboring Sudan but cannot travel to the other IGAD countries without permission.

The exiled opposition leader fled Juba in 2016 after heavy fighting.