afrol News, 26 May - The government of Burundi and the National Liberation Forces (FNL) - the country's last active rebel group - on Monday signed to cease fighting with immediate effect.

The signing was the result of 10 days of talks between the two sides in the capital Bujumbura. It would boost Burundi's efforts to implement the 2006 Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement peace agreement, which collapsed after the government refused rebel demands for power-sharing.

Last month, Burundians in the Bujumbura and its outskirts were engulfed in yet another bloody fight between government troops and Paliphehutu-FNL, resulting to the killing of more than 100 people and displacement of some 40,000 others.

Through its spokesman, Pasteur Habimana, FNL group vowed to stop the war forever. But it was still unclear how the 2006 accord has addressed disarmament and reintegration of ex-fighters into the army and politics.

A deal between the Tutsi army and Hutu rebels ended Burundi's civil war as well as resulted to the election of President Pierre Nkurunziza in 2005.

Last week, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed worry over the fragile situation in Burundi. Mr Ban said a fresh outbreak of fighting could derail valuable progress made since a peace agreement was reached in 2000.

“The recent rapid relapse into violent conflict is alarming evidence of the extreme fragility of the situation in Burundi," Mr Ban said in a report to the Security Council.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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