UPDATE 1-Sudan and Darfur groups agree appearance of those wanted by ICC before court - minister

Sudan's government and rebel groups in the troubled Darfur region agreed in peace talks in Juba on the appearance of those wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) before the tribunal, Information Minister Faisal Saleh told Reuters on Tuesday.

Long-time president Omar al-Bashir, who was toppled after mass protests last year, is wanted by the ICC, but the minister did not specifically name him. The government and the rebel groups agreed during a meeting in South Sudan's capital on four mechanisms including "the appearance of those who face arrest warrants before the International Criminal Court", said Mohamed al-Hassan al-Taishi, a member of Sudan's sovereign council in a statement.

A spokesman from the ICC declined to comment. The conflict spread in Darfur in 2003 after mostly non-Arab rebels rose up against Khartoum. Government forces and mainly Arab militia mobilized to suppress the revolt were accused of widespread atrocities.

West Darfur had been largely calm since 2010, though there have been occasional skirmishes over the past three years. Violence in the West Darfur region in January has killed at least 65 people and wounded more than 50, as well as displacing thousands, an international peacekeeping mission said.

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