Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok welcomed rebel leaders to the capital Khartoum on Sunday, as crowds celebrated what they hoped was the end of war following a landmark peace deal.

"We have been looking forward to this day," Hamdok said as he greeted the leaders, according to a broadcast by the official news agency SUNA.

"Today we are taking the first steps to put an end to the suffering of our people."

It was the first time the leaders of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition of rebel and political groups, had come to the capital since the signing of an October 3 peace agreement in neighbouring South Sudan.

"We have come to put the peace agreement into effect on the ground," said Minni Minawi, who leads a faction of the Darfur-based Sudan Liberation Movement, according to SUNA.

"We must work to assume responsibility and abandon the political quarrels to move towards democracy."

The peace deal is hoped to end decades of fighting, including the war in the western Darfur region that erupted in 2003.

The United Nations estimates at least 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million were displaced in the Darfur conflict.

"This is the first time in Sudan's history we reached a deal that truly addresses the roots of the Sudanese crisis," said Hamdok.

Jubilant crowds packed a central square in Khartoum, chanting and carrying banners to celebrate.

The SRF -- founded in 2011 -- is an alliance of armed rebel groups and political movements including from Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile erupted in 2011, following unresolved issues from bitter fighting there in Sudan's 1983-2005 civil war.

Sudan's transitional government seized power after the April 2019 ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir, following unprecedented street protests against his rule.

Bashir has been jailed in Khartoum's high security Kober prison and was found guilty last December of corruption.

He is currently on trial in Khartoum for his role in the 1989 coup that brought him to power, and has also been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) accused of genocide in Darfur.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Opposition grows to military role in post-coup Mali
Bamako (AFP) Nov 12, 2020
A leading opposition group on Wednesday warned of a military stranglehold on Mali's post-coup government and called for "resistance.... to save democracy" in the Sahel state. The statement from the opposition June 5 Movement, or M5, follows a decree published on Tuesday that gave coup leader Colonel Assimi Goita veto power over Mali's new legislative body. M5 is an alliance of political parties, trade unions and religious figures that was at the forefront of protests against president Ibrahim B ... read more