Mali government, rebels ink accord on ending hostilities

The Malian government and six rebel groups signed an accord on an end to hostilities as part of ongoing peace talks that opened in Algiers last week.

A ceasefire has been in force with the mainly Tuareg and Arab rebel groups since a last eruption of fighting in May.

The two sides also signed a roadmap aimed at "putting in place a framework for the peace talks to allow the emergency of comprehensive negotiated settlement."

The signature of the two documents marked "a satisfactory result with which to crown the initial phase of the dialogue", Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said in a short statement.

The talks, which opened on July 17, are to resume next month aimed at reaching an agreement by the autumn on power-sharing short of secession.

While separatist demands have officially been dropped by the rebel Tuareg groups attending the talks, they are demanding greater autonomy or a special status for northern Mali, known by the Tuareg as Azawad.

After inflicting a "major defeat" on the Malian army in the Tuareg region of Kidal in May, the rebel movements now occupy nearly two-thirds of the country's territory and are in a position of strength in the talks, according to the Algerian hosts.