Six South Sudanese opposition groups said on Thursday they had agreed to forge a united front ahead of the IGAD revitalization forum.

Representatives of armed and unarmed opposition groups held a three-day meeting in the Kenyan town of Nyahururu, where they deliberated on the current crisis facing their country.

Signatories of the agreement included former detainee official Kosti Manibe, representative of the Federal Democratic Party, Chankuoth Bichiok, representative of the National Democratic Movement, Peter Lomude, representative of the South Sudan National Movement, Clement Juma and member of the National Salvation Front, Ufondi Ndima as well as representative of the National Appeal Movement.

In their statement on Thursday the opposition leaders said they have adopted the principles of and framework document for cooperation and working together. They also said the groups committed themselves to adopt a unified position in addressing all matters affecting the country.

The six groups, according to the statement, agreed to declare cessation of all forms of hostilities and negative propaganda towards each member of the alliance.

The groups appreciated the efforts exerted by the regional bloc IGAD to conduct inclusive-pre-forum consultations as a precursor to South Sudan’s High-Level Revitalization.

Machar’s SPLA-IO opposition group, the country’s largest rebel movement which still controls some parts of the country, declined to attend the meeting.