Sudan lifts a rebel's travel ban

Sudan is to allow a sick Darfur rebel chief on its wanted list to travel to Kenya for treatment, the UN says.

Suleiman Jamous has been confined to a United Nations peacekeeping base near Darfur for more than 13 months.

He needs surgery and had been threatened with arrest by Sudanese authorities if he left the UN's care.

Mr Jamous has been a key link between rebels in Darfur and humanitarian workers serving families displaced during the four-year conflict.

Some 200,000 people are believed to have died and more than 2m have been left homeless in Darfur since fighting broke out in 2003.

Guarantee

Mr Jamous is suffering from abdominal complications and has been cared for at a UN hospital.

"The government of Sudan has made clear that Suleiman Jamous was free to leave the hospital to undergo medical treatment and subsequently reside with his family under the condition the UN guarantee that he will not return to Darfur to fight," UN spokeswoman Michele Montas told Associated Press news agency.

She said the UN would facilitate his evacuation to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

In May last year, Mr Jamous, Sudan's Liberation Army humanitarian co-ordinator, rejected the Darfur peace deal - and was promptly detained by those rebels who did sign.

After a month the UN intervened and flew him to Kadugli for treatment.

Earlier this month, US actress Mia Farrow offered her freedom in exchange for Mr Jamous so he could attend peace talks in Tanzania.

Eight rebel factions, who did not sign last year's agreement, have since reached a common position for talks with Sudan's government.

Troops

Meanwhile, the African Union and UN special representative for Darfur, Rodolphe Adada, says peacekeeping troops pledged by African countries must meet UN standards.

Speaking on the first day of a visit to Darfur, Mr Adada said the deadline for offers of peacekeepers was the end of the month.

The UN Security Council has sanctioned the deployment of the hybrid force composed of 26,000 troops.

AU Commission Chairman Alpha Konare has said Africa will provide all of the required peacekeepers.

The UN had expected to call on Asian troops. Critics say Africa lacks enough trained troops for an effective force.
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