Sudan says it will stop fighting if rebels retreat

Sudan has said it is prepared to halt military operations in the Darfur region if rebels withdraw from some positions they captured earlier this year.

A government negotiator said Sudan would stop fighting if rebels withdrew from positions captured after the signing of a roundly ignored April ceasefire.

The Sudanese offer was in line with a compromise deal pushed by African Union mediators hosting the talks, Sudan said.

"But the question is whether the rebels will withdraw or stop all violations of the cease-fire," the negotiator said.

Rebel delegates were not available for comment.

Three earlier rounds of peace talks have not calmed Darfur, which the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.