South Sudan president Kiir departs for Ethiopia ahead of peace talks

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit smiles upon arrival at Khartoum airport, Sudan November 1,2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/File Photo

JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir left the capital on Wednesday and headed to Ethiopia ahead of a planned meeting with his rival and rebel leader Riek Machar ahead of planned talks to try to negotiate an end to a five-year-old civil war, an official said. "IGAD has decided to call face-to-face dialogue between our president and Riek Machar on outstanding issues," Awut Deng, a senior member of Kiir's delegation, said before departing, referring to the regional East African bloc. "So we expect the face-to-face meeting between our president and Riek Machar will be today as scheduled by IGAD." (Reporting by Denis Dumo; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Omar Mohammed)