Darfur rebels were in Khartoum on Monday for the first time since signing a peace deal with the Sudanese government last month to end three years of conflict in the western region.
The delegation from the largest rebel group — the mainstream faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) — was due to hold talks with the government on implementing the agreement signed in Nigeria and prepare a first visit to Khartoum by its leader Minni Minawi.
”It is a goodwill visit for enhancing dialogue with the government inside the Sudan,” said delegation head Mohammed Tigani al-Tayeb.
”We will explore with government officials the best ways to implement the [peace deal]. We are here to exchange viewpoints on how to make [it] a success.”
Tayeb said his group’s leader would travel to Khartoum soon but declined to give a date.
Minawi’s SLM faction was the only one of the three Darfur rebel groups to sign the peace deal in Abuja. A rival SLM faction and the Justice and Equality Movement both still have reservations about the agreement. — Sapa-AFP