Rivals agree Somalia peace deal

[MaineDem]

Somalia's government and the Islamic group that controls the capital have agreed to end military campaigns at peace talks in Sudan.

The talks come two weeks after the Union of Islamic Courts took control of Mogadishu from an alliance of warlords.

The Islamists also agreed to recognise the legality of the interim government - a key demand - and to further talks.

Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir described the accord as "the beginning of the end of conflicts in Somalia."

BBC East Africa correspondent Karen Allen says that earlier this week, the two sides refused to sit in the same room.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/5107122.stm

[Eugene]

1. This is good if it holds.

The warlords aren't out of the picture yet but the "US u-turn"
on dealing with the Islamic Courts is a significant move.

[Posteritatis]

2. I wonder what this'll mean for Somaliland.. (n/t)