Somalia's interim government signed a peace deal today with some opposition figures at UN-led talks in Djibouti that had looked on the brink of failure, a UN official said.
Hopes had dimmed after both delegations refused for days to meet face-to-face to discuss ways of ending 18 years of conflict that have racked the Horn of Africa nation.
"We have a peace deal," an aide to the UN envoy for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said.
The details of what had been signed were not immediately clear.
But hardline members of Somalia's opposition had denounced other opposition figures who took part in the meetings, casting doubt on the implementation of any agreement.
Late on Sunday, Ould-Abdallah told reporters he had decided to end the talks. The sticking point was said to be the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia helping the government fight Islamist-led insurgents.