South Sudan has called off elections due in June and its cabinet plans to ask parliament to extend President Salva Kiir's term, a government spokesman said, as a violent power struggle between Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar rumbles on.

Spokesman Michael Makuei said that the proposal to extend Kiir and parliament's terms will be presented to lawmakers on Tuesday and that he was confident it will be approved. Kiir's and parliament's terms were due to end in July. Makuei said the proposal to extend them was aimed at avoiding any power vacuum in the event that the government fails to reach a permanent deal with rebels it is fighting.