South Sudan's government signed a ceasefire deal with rebel forces on Thursday, in an attempt to stem the bloody violence that has ravaged the world's youngest country since December 15.

The conflict centers around a power struggle between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, who was fired last July and was recently accused of plotting a coup. It also highlights ethnic tensions in the country founded in 2011, as Kiir is an ethnic Dinka, while Machar is from the Nuer tribe.