SOUTH SUDAN-Fresh talks to resolve the crisis in South Sudan have opened in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, more than two weeks after a ceasefire was signed.

Rebels agreed to continue the dialogue despite the government's refusal to release four high-profile detainees.

Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire to end the conflict in the world's newest nation.

Thousands of people have died and more than 868,000 have fled their homes since it began on 15 December.

The UN says about 723,000 people have been displaced inside South Sudan and another 145,000 have fled to nearby countries, with Ethiopia receiving the largest increase in recent arrivals.

It started as a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, but escalated into full-scale conflict, with some of the fighting along ethnic lines.

The president accused Mr Machar of launching a coup - an allegation he strongly denies.

In total some 868,000 have left their homes since the conflict began

Some people have decided to return to their homes, but the vast majority are awaiting the outcome of the talks

Regional mediators say the focus of the peace talks will be on political dialogue and national reconciliation in South Sudan, which gained its independence in July 2011.

BBC South Sudan analyst James Copnall says finding some sort of political settlement between the warring parties will not be easy and a political deal alone will not be enough to resolve the country's problems

He says it will take a broader process, involving a wider spectrum of society, addressing community healing across South Sudan, which is one of the world's least developed nations.

Source: BBC