Sudan 'to restore relations' with Chad

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has agreed to restore diplomatic ties with neighbouring Chad, mediator Senegal said …

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has agreed to restore diplomatic ties with neighbouring Chad, mediator Senegal said today.

Relations were broken off in May after a rebel attack on the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

Senegal's government announced the move following a meeting in the Senegalese capital Dakar yesterday between the Sudanese and Chadian foreign ministers and African Union guarantors of a March peace deal between the two feuding neighbours.

Sudan cut diplomatic ties with Chad on May 11, a day after rebels from the west Sudanese region of Darfur attacked the capital Khartoum. Mr Bashir said the attackers were Chadians backed by Chad's government, though Chad denied involvement.

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Chad and Sudan have accused each other repeatedly of supporting rebellions in their respective territories since conflict began in Darfur in 2003.

Rebel forces have twice raided Chad's capital N'Djamena in the last two years, most recently in February 2008.

Senegal brokered a peace deal between the two governments at an Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit, which it hosted the following month, although the deal did little to smooth tense relations between Chad and Sudan or violence on their border.

Reuters