S. Sudan prays for lasting peace on International Peace Day

South Sudan on Wednesday marked International Day of Peace as the war-torn African country tried to reignite hopes for peace.

Speaking during celebrations in Juba to mark the day, South Sudan Vice President James Wani Igga urged devastated citizens to restore hope and trust in transitional government as it plans path of implementing a peace pact to achieve everlasting peace.

"Peace is the ultimate desire of human life and we are working hard to bring happiness to our civil population," the VP said.

A new round of fighting erupted in South Sudan on July 8 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and former First Vice President Riek Machar, which has left hundreds of people dead and sent over 100,000 others fleeing into neighboring countries.

The fighting forced Machar to leave the capital Juba and he has since been replaced by Taban Deng Gai as first vice president, a move that has caused further division among the former rebels known as SPLM/A-In Opposition.

A coalition of civil society including international organizations and government units gathered in the Nyakuron Cultural Center to mark the day under the theme "Together We Can Heal the Nation".

"If the government may use much of its effort in rebuilding national cohesiveness, then we can proudly say peace will return in our country," John Akol, a student from Juba Day Secondary School, told Xinhua.

Akol said the country can achieve relative peace only if the international community can exert enough pressure on Kiir's government to implement the current agreement in good faith.

James Okuk, a political analyst at University of Juba, told Xinhua that the day meant a lot to the war-torn young nation because it reminds leaders of their trajectory to peace and how to envisage total coexistence, reconciliation in the country.

"We don't want any single South Sudanese to live outside the country either as asylum seekers, refugee, internally displaced persons," Okuk said. Endit