The accusations came less than a day after the deal was signed in the Ethiopian capital.

The initial excitement that followed the signing of a ceasefire deal on May 9, 2014, in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, by South Sudan President, Salva Kiir and rebel leader, Dr Riek Machar, now appears to have been premature. The peace deal was intended to end the conflict that began last December.

Both sides on Sunday, May 11, 2014, accused each other of violating the agreement. There has been no independent verification of either side's claims of launching attacks. Rebel military spokesman, Brigadier Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, claimed that government forces attacked their positions in Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity States. He said the President was either not sincere about the agreement or was unable to control his troops, warning that the rebels reserved the right to defend themselves.

Riek Machar told the BBC that he was still committed to the peace deal despite alleging that President Salva Kiir was not in control of Ugandan troops and militiamen from Darfur fighting for him. Earlier, Information Minister, Michael Makuei, accused the rebels of violating the ceasefire, but stressed that the government "will continue to abide by and respect the agreement." He called on the international community to mount pressure on the rebels so that they abide by the commitment.

Speaking upon return from Addis Ababa on May 11, 2014, President Kiir told members of his cabinet that he gave instructions that the ceasefire agreement be observed and did not want his people to continue to die “in this senseless war," the Sudan Tribune reported. He added that the Sudan People’s Liberation Army forces loyal to his government were already directed to remain in their current positions and stop engaging those loyal to Riek Machar.

The violence began in December 2013 when President Kiir accused his sacked deputy, Machar, of plotting a coup. Machar denied the allegation, but then marshalled a rebel army to fight the government. The battle assumed ethnic overtones, with Machar relying heavily on fighters from his Nuer ethnic group and President Kiir on those from his Dinka community. According to UN estimates, thousands of people have since been killed and at least 1.5 million others displaced.