South Sudan peace talks extended beyond Thursday

Peace talks between South Sudan’s government and rebels will extend beyond a Thursday deadline set by mediators to allow them to finalise details on power sharing, mediators from the regional East African group IGAD said.
The group had allowed to the end of Thursday to iron out any issues that were keeping the two sides from reaching a conclusive deal to end fighting that erupted in December 2013 after a political dispute that saw President Salva Kiir sack Riek Machar as deputy president.
“The Special Envoys urge the Principals to use the limited time that remains to make progress on the outstanding issues of the mediation agenda,” IGAD said in a statement without giving details.
According to the latest roadmap issued last month talks were to be completed by March 5, with the goal of a transitional government by April.
An IGAD spokesman said the negotiations would run until Friday 0700 GMT, while diplomats participating in the talks said a power sharing structure between the rebels and the government was yet to be worked out.
“The security area, the power sharing area … the scope of the structure and the levels, these are the critical areas that has still kept the parties apart and they are tackling them,” Seyoum Mesfin, IGAD chief mediator, told reporters.