South Sudan rebel chief Riek Machar signs final peace deal

South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar. He has approved peace agreement as negotiations in Khartoum end. PHOTO | AFP

South Sudanese rebel chief Riek Machar on Thursday approved a peace deal with Juba that is expected to be formally signed at a summit of regional leaders, a Sudanese mediator said.

Machar and arch-foe South Sudan's President Salva Kiir have held weeks of talks in Khartoum in search of a comprehensive peace deal to end the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since 2013.