Sudan's rebel movement extends ceasefire in South Kordofan, Blue Nile areas
Xinhua,January 31, 2018 Adjust font size:
KHARTOUM, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector on Tuesday announced an extension of the unilateral ceasefire at South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas for four month starting on Feb. 1.
The sector's leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu said the move is a step towards opportunity for a peaceful solution to Sudan's crisis.
He directed all the movement's army units to commit to the extension of cessation of hostilities.
The Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector have been extending the ceasefire, from time to time, at South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas.
The peace talks between the two sides regarding South Kordofan and Blue Nile are expected to resume on Feb. 3 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
The African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki, is supervising the negotiations.
The SPLM/northern sector has recently been suffering from internal divisions, which, in July 2017, resulted in the removal of the movement's chairman Malik Agar who was replaced by his former deputy al-Hilu.
The sector has been fighting the Khartoum government at South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas since 2011.
Many rounds of peace talks have been held in Addis Ababa, but no peace deal is in sight regarding the two areas. Enditem