Darfur ceasefire announcement expected

Sudan will announce a ceasefire at the start of peace talks with rebels on Saturday aimed at ending the four and a half year conflict in Darfur, Sudan's UN ambassador said.

Ambassador Abdelmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamed said the government decided to declare a ceasefire at the opening session to help promote the success of the talks, which will take place in the Libyan city of Sirte, the hometown of the country's leader, Moammar Gadhafi.