African Union mediators order Sudan to halt Darfur offensive

ABUJA, Dec 17 (AFP) — An African Union commission overseeing the shaky truce in the western Sudanese region of Darfur ordered Sudan’s government to halt a two-week-old offensive against rebel forces and to withdraw.

Chairman of the AU cease-fire commission Major General Festus Okonkwo greets some of his staff inside the AU base in Kab Kabiya, north west of El-Fasher, Sudan. (AFP)

“The commission requests the government of Sudan to immediately halt its present military offensive and to withdraw its forces from the position they are holding now,” said commission chairman Mohammed Ali Abdallah.

Abdallah also ordered Darfur’s main rebel groups, whose leaders are also in Abuja for an AU-sponsored peace conference, to halt “attacks against commercial activities and government infrastructure, including police stations.”

The commission gave both parties until 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Saturday “to take concrete measures in order to comply with the decision” and asked the AU observer force in Darfur to monitor their response on the ground.

The AU official who acts as chairman for the the political negotiations between the government and the rebels at the heart of the Abuja process, Sam Ibok, told AFP that the deadline could mark the end of the peace conference.

“If the government does not comply we will know that they are not really ready to continue with the talks. By 6:00 pm we will know what to do,” he said.

Khartoum’s lead negotiator, Agriculture Minister Majzoub al-Khalifa, objected to manner in which the commission’s decision was made public without consultation, but AU officials insisted it was not open to debate.

Rebel spokesman said they would make their response on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, representatives of the warring parties and international observers had heard a damning report from the general in charge of the AU force in which he accused the Sudanese of launching a large-scale offensive.

Darfur has been at war since the rebels launched their insurrection in February last year, seeking greater autonomy for the region, but the sides have in theory been observing a ceasefire since April when they signed a truce.