Sudanese rebel group suspends peace talks after attack

A Sudanese rebel group says it has suspended peace talks with the transitional government, accusing the military of storming a southern area under its control.

The Sudan Liberation Movement-North says it canceled Wednesday’s scheduled round of talks in South Sudan’s Juba following the arrest of 16 people in Blue Nile Province earlier this week. Three people were later released.

The movement led by Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu says it won’t resume talks unless the government releases the detainees, withdraws from the area where they were seized, and declare a documented cease-fire.

Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of the transition Sovereign Council, declared a nationwide cease-fire on Wednesday, according to the official SUNA news agency.

Al-Hilu’s movement is active in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan provinces, where it controls significant chunks of territory.