JUBA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Saturday lifted the state of emergency in four of the country's states as a means to pace reunification of forces in greater Bahr el Ghazal amid party's consensus to extend the pre-transitional period of six months.
Vice President James Wani Igga told the state-owned radio that the decision to revoke the state of emergency in the Western Lakes, Tonj, Wau, and Gogrial was made by the president because the security situation in those four states have returned to normalcy.
"We have lifted the state of emergency in four states of greater Bahr el Ghazal that were embroiled in inter-communal violence. This decision will help the parties to freely cantoned forces," Wani said.
The presidency also discussed extension of the transitional period and formation of the committees for the implementation of the revitalized peace deal, he said.
The state of emergency was initially declared in July 2017 in the war-torn country which covers president Kiir's home area of Gogrial, where two rival ethnic Dinka clans of the Apuk and Gwok clashed amid killings, cattle theft and displacements.
South Sudan plunged into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.
The United Nations estimates that 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally.
In September 2018, South Sudan's warring parties signed a fresh peace deal in Ethiopia after negotiations.
