South Sudan's vice president, a former rebel, called on troops loyal to him to stop fighting after three days of clashes in the capital Juba with forces supporting President Salva Kiir.

"I inform all troops who have been fighting and have been defending themselves that they should observe the ceasefire and stay in position," Vice President Riek Machar said on Eye Radio Juba, shortly after Kir had ordered an immediate unilateral ceasefire. Machar said the ceasefire started at 8:00pm (1700 GMT) on Monday.