Mbeki in Sudan for Darfur talks

2008-09-16 08:20

Khartoum - President Thabo Mbeki arrived in the Sudanese capital on Monday for two days of talks with President Omar al-Bashir on efforts for peace in the war-torn Darfur region.

Mbeki is due to discuss moves to head off potential charges against the Sudanese leader from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur.

The Sudanese Media Centre, a news website close to the security services, said Mbeki will discuss "policies for resolving Darfur and ICC allegations".

Mbeki is also due to meet Salva Kiir, the first vice-president and president of autonomous south Sudan.

He flew in from Zimbabwe, where he mediated a landmark government power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai, who has been made prime minister.

Rebels fight back

Meanwhile Darfur rebels reported that they were fighting back against attacking government troops for a fourth day.

Villages have been burnt and insurgents bombed by Antonov aircraft since fighting erupted on Friday southwest of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) said.

According to the UN, up to 300 000 people have died in Darfur and more than 2.2 million have fled their homes since rebels rose up against Khartoum in February 2003. Sudan says 10 000 people have been killed.

The war began when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated Khartoum regime and state-backed Arab militias, fighting for resources and power in one of the most remote and deprived places on earth.

- AFP