It was a somber Christmas day in South Sudan. Despite an appeal for a Christmas cease-fire from the African Union, government soldiers and rebels clashed in an oil-rich part of the country.
At a church in the capital of Juba, President Salva Kiir called for peace and unity. Even the leader's choice of clothing — traditional robes instead of army fatigues — seemed to signal he wants to move past the violence.
On Dec. 16, the day after South Sudan erupted in massive gun battles, Kiir ditched his trademark black cowboy hat and suit and appeared on television wearing army fatigues.