Darfur talks lack key rebels

SIRTE, Libya, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Organizers predicted little chance of peace in Sudan's Darfur region with the absence of key rebel leaders at talks in Libya.

During the first day of peace talks Saturday, Sudan's government announced a unilateral ceasefire, which it has done unsuccessfully several times in the last four years, the BBC reported Sunday.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, who is hosting the talks in Sirte, said there were limits as to what the talks could achieve without leaders of two key rebel groups.

"We cannot achieve peace" without the SLA-Unity and the Justice and Equality Movement, or Jem, rebel groups, Gadhafi said. "As long as they object to this conference, then there is no justification for the international community to intervene."

SLA-Unity and Jem leaders said they were boycotting because smaller rebel factions were invited to the talks. As many as 12 rebel groups are fighting each other in Darfur where at least 200,000 people have been killed and another 2 million displaced by tribal violence.