UN envoy calls for peace in Darfur during Ramadan

The UN special envoy to Sudan yesterday called on the warring parties in Darfur to observe a "month of tranquillity" during Ramadan, which starts this weekend.

Jan Pronk's implicit appeal for a ceasefire in the western region of Sudan, where more than 200,000 people have already died, came after the Khartoum government withdrew its ultimatum for African Union peacekeepers to pull out. Other African states then agreed to extend their mandate until the end of the year.

Sudan's climbdown came from President Omar al-Bashir, attending the UN general assembly in New York, who said: "We want the AU to remain in Darfur until peace is re-established." Shortly afterwards the AU peace and security council announced that its 7,000 troops would remain until December 31.

Led by the United States, the UN security council has called for the AU to be replaced immediately by 20,000 UN troops, a move which Sudan rejects. But diplomats expect discussions will continue on enlarging the AU contingent and strengthening its mandate.

In Khartoum Mr Pronk told reporters that he was writing to Mr Bashir and the seven rebel movements in Darfur. "I am asking them to respect a month of tranquillity during Ramadan. Get off the collision course ... don't fight, don't bomb, don't change your positions," he said. Such a lull would help "create an atmosphere where you can start talking again".

More than 2.5 million people have been displaced in the fighting between government forces, rebels and militias. At least two rebel groups have resumed attacks on government positions, putting more villagers to flight, threatening the supply of aid to the camps for displaced people, and prompting the government to deploy thousands of extra troops.

The largest rebel group signed a peace deal with the government in May. Others appear to be observing a ceasefire even though they refused to accept the peace package, according to Khartoum sources.

Mr Pronk said the peace deal was "in a coma". "It is not dead but it is dying," he said, adding that the rejectionist factions should "stop shouting and sit down and negotiate everything related to the Darfur peace agreement to improve it."

In Khartoum the government appeared to treat the extension of the AU mandate as a victory over US pressure. Several thousand armed soldiers paraded through the capital to the sound of Islamic music yesterday. They marched near the military headquarters and the presidential guesthouse accompanied by tanks.

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