Khartoum, the rebels sign agreement extending truce for two months

The Sudanese government and the main group of the rebels yesterday signed an agreement extending the truce between the two sides for two months in order to allow time for a peace agreement that ends a 20 year old war in which two million people were killed.

The agreement which extends the truce until the end of November was signed by the representatives of the government and the souther rebels (Sudan People Liberation Army) in a celebration held in Kenya which mediates between the two sides. The signing ceremony comes following the announcement made by the Kenyan Foreign minister on Sunday of the agreement to extend the truce following two- week talks in Nivasha city, 90 Km from Nairobi.

The agreement stated that extending the truce enables the two sides "seeking to finalize a comprehensive peace agreement as soon as possible." The current truce agreement expires on September 30th.

Civil war in Sudan erupted in 1983 between the government and the rebels who fight for a greater self- rule in the south where the majority of the population are "non- believers and Christians."