South Sudan’s government could hold general elections in 2018 despite insecurity due to fighting between government and opposition forces, a spokesman of the government said.

Information Minister Michael Makuei said at a press conference in Juba today that the insecurity situation will not be an excuse for the people of South Sudan not to hold the 2018 elections.

“You cannot take insecurity as an excuse for not running the election,” he said.

Makuei pointed out that the government of South Sudan is not aware of diplomatic efforts in the region to end Riek Machar’s forced dentation in South Africa.

“What we know is that Riek Machar is in South Africa, and if he is coming then we have not yet known about that,” he said.

He stressed that rebel leader Riek Machar will only be allowed to return to the country if he denounces rebellion. The official spokesman added if Machar returns to the country as a politician he must come when the election is about to be conducted.

Chapter 1, Article 16 of the signed peace agreement is about general elections in South Sudan. The agreement says that the President and First Vice President will agree on the formation of a National Elections Commission.

According to the 2015 peace deal, the elections must take place 60 days before the end of the transitional period, which will be in 2018.