KHARTOUM - Sudan's transitional government and a rebel group have signed a preliminary peace deal, paving the way for eventual reconciliation through ongoing talks.
General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the deputy chief of Sudan's Sovereign Council, inked the deal on Friday along with Malik Agar, head of one of the two factions of Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), which has been fighting the government in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions.
"The government of Sudan is more willing than before to reach a peaceful settlement in Sudan," Dagalo said at the signing ceremony that was held in South Sudan's capital, Juba, and was overseen by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
The ruling council has made peace-making with rebels fighting Khartoum one of its main priorities as it is a key condition for the country's removal from the United States’ sponsors of terrorism list.
The body took over the reins of government in August after military and civilian parties and protest groups signed a three-year power-sharing deal after months of strife following the overthrow of long-time President Omar al-Bashir in April.
he transitional government and rebel groups restarted peace talks last October to end Sudan's long-running conflicts that have killed thousands of people. They have until February 14 to ink a comprehensive peace deal. (Aljazeera)