South Sudan's Machar calls for delay to unity government as peace efforts stall

South Sudan's former Vice President and former opposition leader Riek Machar addresses delegates at the signing ceremony of the agreement on peace and ceasefire in Juba, South Sudan.

South Sudan’s main opposition accused the government on Wednesday of failing to push through a peace deal and called for a six-month delay in the formation of a unity administration, casting a shadow over efforts to end years of fighting.

The spokesman for former rebel leader Riek Machar said he did not believe he would be able to join a unity government on Nov. 12 - a deadline agreed in September after months of talks, broken ceasefires and pressure from the United Nations, the United States and regional powers.