Sudanese authorities extend Darfur curfew

KHARTOUM, Dec 21 (Reuters) – The Sudanese authorities have imposed a curfew in the western border town of Al Geneina after the collapse of talks on an end to conflict in the Darfur region, a Sudanese newspaper reported on Sunday.

The authorities had already restricted night-time movements in the nearby states of Northern and Southern Darfur last week. Al Geneina, close to the border with Chad, is the main town in nearby Western Darfur.

The independent newspaper Al-Sahafa said the regional governor had banned movement in the town from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m..

Two main rebel groups launched a revolt in the arid region in February accusing the Khartoum government of sidelining the poor region. Conflict between Arab and African tribes over scarce water resources and pasture are common in Darfur.

Analysts say the Darfur conflict threatens an impending peace deal now being negotiated in Kenya to end two decades of civil war in the south of Africa’s largest country.

One Darfur rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), signed a truce with Khartoum in September, but talks in Chad failed last week, with both sides blaming each other.

The second group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), has not signed a truce or begun talks with Khartoum.