The head of one Darfur’s main rebel groups said he is willing to call a ceasefire if the Khartoum government stops attacks on civilians in the war-torn region and agrees to re-negotiate the Darfur peace deal – but warned of a new offensive if it fails to do so.

Sudan braced for a diplomatic showdown today as the government confirmed it intended to secure the chairmanship of the African Union.

Two car bombs exploded in a main square of central Baghdad today, killing at least 54 people and injuring 146.

DARFUR rebels called on a former ally to rejoin their ranks yesterday as a top UN envoy said the government had lost two major battles in the western region, with reports of “very high” losses.

AMERICAN soldiers mistakenly fired on a civilian vehicle outside an American base in a city north of Baghdad yesterday, killing three people, including a child, the military said.

A man wearing a police uniform drove a car bomb inside the headquarters of police in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit today, setting off a massive explosion that killed at least 15 police and wounded 22 others, police and witnesses said.

Saying they hoped African leaders could solve without sanctions what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, the leaders of Egypt, Chad, Nigeria and Libya discussed the crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region with the Sudanese president.

AID workers who were forced to leave two refugee camps in Chad because of violence have resumed their operations.

US soldiers have seized four relatives of the man America believes is masterminding attacks against its troops, in early morning raids today.