Darfur peace talks postponed from Aug 24 to Sep 15

The sixth round of Darfur peace talks re-set for 15 September in Nigeria.
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Darfur rebel group SLM/A to meet in Eritrea

According to an excerpt of an Aug 24 report at Sudan Tribune by Sudanese independent newspaper Al-Ayyam in Khartoum [material by BBC Monitoring] a spokesperson for the SLM/A has said a meeting of their leaders will be held today in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, and will be aimed at resolving differences between the leader of the SLM/A, Abd-al-Wahid Muhammad Nur, and the SLM/A secretary general, Mani Arkoi Minawi.

Speaking to Al-Ayyam, Umar Isma'il said a committee of SLM/A leaders had given the two leaders until 5pm Wednesday [24 August] to work towards reconciliation and attend meetings "or else they will be removed from their positions", he added. [Passage omitted]

He said the committee had told the two leaders that it was necessary for them to leave for Asmara immediately and resolve all the SLM/A thorny issues: "We cannot destroy the results achieved so far because of personal struggles", he concluded.
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Locusts pose threat in Darfur, UN agency reports

The locust situation continues to be serious in western Sudan where hopper bands and groups of immature adults of the crop-devouring creatures are present in Darfur, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in its latest update today.

Full story at UN news centre Aug 24, 2005.

Tags: UN locusts Darfur Sudan Nigeria Eritrea