The Sudanese government and southern rebel officials signed an agreement on Friday to end the 21-year civil war in southern Sudan by December 31.

The move followed a special session of the UN Security Council in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in which Annan called upon the council to issue "the strongest warning" to all parties fighting in Sudan, saying that ending the war in the south would also help stop the violence in Darfur.
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With a bit of luck, and with the spirit that has been generated ... we might even be able and conclude with Darfur at the same time we will conclude in south Sudan. It's not impossible," Obasanjo said.

The conflict in southern Sudan had started in 1983 and had claimed the lives of more than 2 million people, mainly due to hunger and disease.

Violence had also erupted in Darfur in February 2003 and the UN estimates that about 1.6 have fled their homes and 70,000 people have died since March due to violence in the region. The Sudanese government disputes the figure, saying that only 7,000 died.

Darfur rebels accuse the Sudanese government of backing the Janjaweed rebels, blamed for the human rights abuses in Darfur. Khartoum denies the accusations and calls the Janjaweed “outlaws”

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- david | 1:29 PM