Darfur rebels derail peace talks - Sudan's VP to attend

Opheera McDoom (Reuters) 6 March 2006 says the SLA rebel split is likely to stall African Union-sponsored peace talks, just as other rebel divisions have helped derail six previous rounds of talks. Infighting has destabilised security in Darfur, where rape, killing and looting has forced 2 million people from their homes to miserable camps:

The head of the African Union mission in Sudan, Baba Gana Kingibe, said the group was powerful and had put the brakes on the AU-mediated talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha is to travel to the talks to raise the stakes and expedite a deal, state-owned press reported on Sunday. Note, Mr Taha is due in Brussels tomorrow to discuss Darfur.