Sudan’s FM says Darfur peace talks begin in Chad

KHARTOUM, April 24 (Reuters) – Sudan said peace talks to end fighting in Sudan’s western Darfur region began on Saturday in neighbouring Chad following conflicting reports from rebels concerning their participation.

“Both parties (rebels) are there and they are negotiating,” Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail told reporters in Khartoum.

Representatives from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the two main groups fighting the government in Darfur, were not immediately available to confirm their participation in the talks.

But Ismail said the talks started on Saturday after an envoy of the African Union arrived in Chad. “The talks will discuss the practicalities of the ceasefire and political resolution to the conflict in Darfur,” he said.

SLM and JEM spokesmen told Reuters on Friday their groups would withdraw from the talks in protest at the lack of international observers and government violations of a ceasefire in effect since last week.

Sudan has said it has not carried out military operations against the rebels since the signing of the ceasefire but has said rebels have attacked government troops.

Last week the spokesman for the SLM’s secretary-general told Reuters his group would be going to the talks despite an earlier announcement to the contrary by another spokesman.

Analysts say the leadership of both groups suffer from infighting.

The SLM and JEM launched a revolt in Darfur last year, accusing Khartoum of neglecting the poor area and arming Arab militias to loot and burn African villages, a charge the government denies.