Sudan:Darfur rebel factions meeting in Tanzania have reached a common negotiating position and want final peace talks with the Sudanese government within months, international mediators said yesterday.
The African Union and United Nations called the Darfur meeting in Arusha, Tanzania to form a rebel consensus after a May 2006 peace deal was signed only by a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) led by Minni Arcua Minnawi.
Another SLA faction led by founder Abdel Wahed Mohamed el-Nur and the Justice and Equality Movement headed by Khalil Ibrahim did not sign, despite intense international pressure.
The lack of support by other rebels undermined the agreement within days. The rebels have split into more than a dozen factions.
Mr Minnawi became special assistant to Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir, but has lost much ground in Darfur and some question whether all of his forces there remain loyal to him.
Many of his allies have broken away to form their own factions.
Mr Minnawi's forces have been accused of attacking, threatening and killing African Union peacekeepers in his areas in South Darfur as well as in African Union headquarters in North Darfur.
The major factions have loose alliances and are in constant negotiations to form new coalitions.
- (Reuters)