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JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — Anti-government rebels in South Sudan have taken control of nearly all of a strategic city.
This, even as officials announced that representatives from the government and the rebels had agreed to hold talks for the first time. The talks are supposed to take place in neighboring Ethiopia. It's the first breakthrough since ethnically-based violence began more than two weeks ago.
The U.S. envoy to the region met today with the country's president -- their fourth meeting in eight days. He also spoke on the phone with the former vice president who is accused by the government of having tried to carry out a coup.
Envoy Donald Booth told reporters that the commitment by the two sides to meet is a "first step but a very important step" toward an end to hostilities, and talks aimed at resolving the underlying political issues.
Earlier in the day, heavy fighting erupted in the city of Bor, and rebels ended up controlling most of it. That could give them an upper hand at the negotiating table.
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