Darfur ceasefire accord signed

The Sudanese government and Darfur-based rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) signed a ceasefire accord in the Chadian town of Abeche on Wednesday under the auspices of the Chadian government, Sudanese television reported on Thursday. Ismat Abd-al-Rahman Zayn-al-Abidin, the commander of Western Military Area, signed on behalf of the government and SLA army chief of staff Abdullah Al Bakr signed on behalf of the rebels. The signing ceremony was attended by Abdullah Moussa Abderahmane, the Chadian minister of public security and immigration. "The agreement covered ceasefire, cessation of all operations that contribute to the deterioration of the situation [in Darfur], ways of controlling armed irregular groups, and release of all prisoners of war and those detained in connection with the crisis from both sides," the television said. The accord will go into effect on 6 September for a duration of 45 days, it added. Tens of thousands of Sudanese have fled to Chad to escape intense fighting in the western Darfur region between the government and rebels. Hundreds of people are believed to have been killed, but the numbers have been difficult to ascertain because of the remoteness of the area and difficulties in accessing it. SLA secretary general Minni Arkou Minnawi earlier told IRIN his group was prepared to sign the accord. The SLA launched its rebellion in March to fight against "marginalisation, racial discrimination, and exploitation" in the region.