Mali Tuareg separatists accept ceasefire agreement

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Tuareg separatist groups in Mali on Friday accepted a ceasefire agreement with the government following clashes this week that threatened to plunged the country back into war. The agreement was reached following a meeting between the chairman of the African Union and separatist groups in northern Mali to discuss a permanent truce and the resumption of talks between the rebels and the government in Bamako.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and United Nations special representative in Mali Albert Koenders held talks for more than four hours with the three main rebel groups and local Tuareg traditional leaders in an effort to also revive peace negotiations between the two sides.