S. Sudan peace talks get started

South Sudan's government and rebels have finally begun formal peace talks in Addis Ababa aimed at ending more than three weeks of unrest, Ethiopia's government spokesman said on Monday.

"They have begun," Getachew Reda said, after days of trying to get the two rival delegations into the same room to discuss a cease-fire.

Also on Monday, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrived in South Sudan's capital Juba for a day of talks on the South Sudan's civil conflict.

Bashir was greeted at Juba airport by South Sudanese Vice-President James Wani Igga, before heading to the presidential palace for talks with his counterpart President Salva Kiir.

Bashir made no public comment, although Khartoum has reaffirmed Sudan's support for a "peaceful resolution to the conflict", which has already left thousands dead and 200,000 displaced.

South Sudan won independence from Khartoum in 2011 after decades of war, but the north remains a key player in the young nation's affairs - serving as the export route for the South's oil production.

The visit came as fighting in South Sudan showed no sign of easing, with the capital experiencing more sporadic gunfire overnight.

Heavy fighting was reported over the weekend in oil-producing Unity and Upper Nile states in the north, as well as near rebel-held Bor, capital of Jonglei state just north of the capital.

Army spokesman Philip Aguer said it was only a "matter of time" before Bor was recaptured, although rebel spokesman Moses Ruai insisted that it was anti-government fighters who were advancing on the capital.

"Our forces are well organized. They are not just hit and run. The next target is now Juba, but I cannot tell you exactly when they will attack Juba, but they are heading there," he said.

The conflict erupted on Dec 15, pitting army units loyal to Kiir against a loose alliance of ethnic militia forces and mutinous army commanders nominally headed by former vice-president Riek Machar who was sacked in July.

Machar denies allegations that he started the conflict by attempting a coup, and in turn accuses the president of orchestrating a violent purge.

The UN said that thousands of people have already been killed, and both sides are alleged to have committed atrocities.

UN peacekeeping bases have also been overwhelmed with local civilians seeking shelter, many of them fleeing ethnic violence between Kiir's Dinka community and Machar's Nuer tribe.