South Sudan's government says it has freed four political detainees accused of plotting a coup, in a bid to revive peace talks with the opposition.
The four include former ruling party, Sudan People's Liberation Movement, secretary general Pagan Amum.
Their detention has been a major obstacle in talks between President Salva Kiir's government and rebels loyal to his former vice president, Riek Machar.
In a VOA interview, presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said rebels could no longer use the detention of the alleged coup plotters as a pretext to stall the negotiations.
“This is actually significant that the issue of the four main suspects of the coup attempt cannot be used by any party as a ploy to stay away from negotiating in good faith. So it will not remain as another condition in [the] negotiation," said Ateny.
The government detained the political leaders shortly after President Kiir, in December, accused Machar of attempting a coup.
The accusation has lead to months of fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and those loyal to Machar.
The four include former ruling party, Sudan People's Liberation Movement, secretary general Pagan Amum.
Their detention has been a major obstacle in talks between President Salva Kiir's government and rebels loyal to his former vice president, Riek Machar.
In a VOA interview, presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said rebels could no longer use the detention of the alleged coup plotters as a pretext to stall the negotiations.
“This is actually significant that the issue of the four main suspects of the coup attempt cannot be used by any party as a ploy to stay away from negotiating in good faith. So it will not remain as another condition in [the] negotiation," said Ateny.
The government detained the political leaders shortly after President Kiir, in December, accused Machar of attempting a coup.
The accusation has lead to months of fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and those loyal to Machar.
